Measuring Up - Testing and Analysis (Cont'd)

How do SPs do that? By maintaining smooth QoS. According to Laura Holly, product line manager of Brix Networks asserts that “VoIP can only be managed through full visibility.” A SP must have the ability to monitor every wire, receiver, softswitch, and gateway from one handset to the other in order to maintain positive QoS. Holly asserts that it is “not enough to just do one-time testing.” The network must be watched every step of the way.

After all, VoIP is just the beginning of the expansion of online capability. Much of the same testing and monitoring technology used to keep VoIP pipes clean and free flowing can be utilized to maximize the potential of IPTV and other technologies that are yet to emerge as possibilities. That is, if vendors are vigilant about maintaining forward-looking network tools. Roger Lingle, vice president of marketing for JDS Uniphase (formerly Acterna) points out that tools, which have emerged on the scene later in the game, have a distinct advantage as they were developed with a clearer idea of network needs and expectations. Capozzoli responds to such statements by asserting that maintaining focus on the technology at hand while always keeping an eye on what is coming next is a “prudent investment strategy.”

Keeping an eye on what’s next is definitely a strong choice for SPs and OSS vendors alike, as it has always been. With the aforementioned massive increases in VoIP traffic come a greater possibility of snags and pitfalls for VoIP providers. Testing and Analysis firms must be there to locate, isolate, and solve these problems as soon as they begin, if not before. Pracht points out that “just a few years ago, quality was defined by PSTN. Now consumers don’t know or care that VoIP is the path, provided the service is solid as a rock.”

This is a truism in any industry. Most people don’t care whether their watch is regulated by gears or quartz. They only care about how well it keeps time. Most grocery shoppers don’t care whether their produce was shipped by truck or by rail. They only care about how fresh it is. Likewise, most consumers don’t care whether their voice signal is delivered over IP or SS7 or any other network. They only care about receiving the call with clarity, speed, and ease. Proper testing and monitoring support assures that SPs will be able to keep tabs on their networks at all times, isolating and solving problems before they have an effect on the overall customer experience. In doing so, SPs help to safeguard against churn, retain hard-earned customers, and strengthen their respective footholds in an era of dynamic and burgeoning technology.

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