Keeping the service usable.
WHAT DETERMINES SUBSCRIBER EXPERIENCE
Available capacity at peak Latency Packet loss Consistency
WHY PEAK MATTERS
Networks are judged when everyone is using them.
WHAT TO MONITOR
Utilisation at every link, at peak Latency to common destinations Error and loss rates
WHAT CONGESTION LOOKS LIKE
Utilisation approaching capacity Increasing latency at peak Complaints concentrated at particular times
WHAT TO DO
Add capacity before it saturates.
WHY BEFORE
Subscribers leave during congestion, and they do not return.
WHAT TO PLAN
Capacity additions with lead time.
WHY
Upstream capacity and equipment take time to provision.
WHAT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROVIDES
Fairer distribution of limited capacity.
WHAT IT SHOULD DO
Prevent a small number of users consuming everything Prioritise latency-sensitive traffic where appropriate
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
What you do, and disclose it.
WHY DISCLOSE
Undisclosed restriction is discovered and it damages trust, and it may be regulated.
WHAT CACHING AND LOCAL CONTENT PROVIDE
Reduced upstream consumption and better performance.
WHY IT MATTERS
Much traffic is to a small number of large services, and local delivery reduces both cost and latency.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Whether caching arrangements are available to you.
WHAT TO MEASURE
Capacity per subscriber Peak utilisation Latency and loss
WHAT TO REPORT
Performance honestly, where you commit to it.
