Understanding Dropped-call rate in Mobile Networks

Dropped-call rate in mobile networks is a measure of how often calls are dropped or disconnected.

A dropped-call rate of 1% means that 1 in every 100 calls will be dropped.

In a typical mobile network, a dropped-call rate of 1% or less is considered acceptable.

Mobile network providers aim to keep their dropped-call rate as low as possible to ensure a good user experience.

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DCR, or Dropped Call Rate, is a percentage of calls that are unexpectedly disconnected after being successfully established. This doesn't include calls intentionally ended by the user.

To calculate DCR, you simply divide the number of dropped calls by the total number of attempted calls, and then multiply by 100 to get the percentage. For example, if 100 calls are attempted and 10 are dropped, the DCR rate is 10%.

A DCR of 5% means that 5 out of every 100 calls are dropped unexpectedly. This can be a significant issue for telecommunications companies, as it directly affects user satisfaction.

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DCR is a critical Quality of Service (QoS) metric that reflects user satisfaction. A lower DCR indicates a more stable and reliable network.

Here's a simple way to think about DCR: if you're on a call and it just drops, that's a DCR issue. It's not because you hung up, but because something went wrong with the network.

Telecommunications regulators and industry standards often set specific DCR thresholds to ensure operators provide consistent and reliable service.

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GSM DCR is a critical metric that measures the percentage of phone calls dropped due to technical issues in GSM networks. It's a key performance indicator that reflects user satisfaction and network reliability.

Industry standards recommend a DCR of below 2% to 3% for urban and suburban areas, with ITU suggesting a DCR of less than 2% in most cases. Achieving a low DCR is more challenging in rural areas, where coverage gaps or fewer base stations may lead to higher DCR values.

Dropped calls can result from various network issues, including weak signal strength, interference, handover failures, network congestion, equipment malfunctions, and power or battery issues on mobile devices. These issues can be caused by factors such as poor coverage, faulty equipment, or high traffic on a cell.

To improve DCR, telecommunications companies can use various strategies, including increasing network capacity, improving signal quality, upgrading equipment, optimizing network design, and providing customer education. By implementing these strategies, companies can reduce the likelihood of dropped calls due to congestion, poor coverage, or equipment failure.

Here are some common causes of dropped calls in GSM networks:

A high Call Drop Rate (CDR) indicates poor network quality and can lead to customer dissatisfaction and churn.

Call drops can be caused by various factors, including poor coverage, un-configured neighbor cell, handover, interference, PSC confliction, and engineering error.

The decision whether it is a problem of uplink or downlink poor coverage is based on the power of dedicated channel before call drop.

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UL Poor Coverage occurs when the uplink power of dedicated channel before call drop is less than a certain threshold, while DL Poor Coverage occurs when the downlink power of dedicated channel before call drop is less than a certain threshold.

Missed neighbor cell, removal of key neighbor cells caused by combination of macro diversity, and untimely update of the external cell information can also cause call drops.

The handover process is incomplete when the handover fails to complete successfully.

Call drops caused by engineering error can be analyzed by checking equipment alarm and system log of this period to find out hardware problems, checking the transmission of this period, checking whether the upgrade or cell blocking is performed during this period, and checking whether there is an occasion with abrupt high traffic requirements such as a concert, game, or exhibition.

The following table summarizes the possible causes of call drops in UMTS networks:

For a certain effect, the cause-and-effect analysis is performed to locate the causes that may result in the effect and to determine the influence of the causes.

Calculating DCR is a straightforward process that involves identifying the number of dropped calls and dividing it by the total number of attempted calls. This results in a percentage that indicates the DCR rate.

To calculate DCR, you need to identify the number of dropped calls, which are unexpectedly disconnected after being successfully established. Importantly, this doesn't include calls intentionally ended by the user.

The formula for calculating DCR is simple: divide the number of dropped calls by the total number of attempted calls. For example, if 100 calls are attempted and 10 are dropped, the DCR rate is 10%.

DCR rates are typically measured over a specific period of time, such as an hour, a day, or a month. This allows telecommunications companies to track performance over time and identify trends or patterns that may indicate issues that need to be addressed.

Here's a step-by-step guide to calculating DCR:

For example, if 100 calls are initiated and 5 of them are dropped unexpectedly, the DCR would be 5%.

To accurately calculate the dropped-call rate, specific data points are required from various sources within the telecommunications network. These include call termination not through the normal hang-up process, drive test data, and call drop data.

A drive test, for instance, can provide valuable insights into call drop rates. It involves analyzing the number of call drop times, power of dedicated channels, and other relevant metrics to determine the root cause of call drops.

The platform can automatically identify trends and patterns in the data, such as spikes in call drop rates during specific times of the day or in certain geographical areas.

Here are some common causes of call drops:

By analyzing call drop data and related factors, such as equipment alarms and system logs, network operators can identify the root causes of call drops and take corrective action to improve network performance.

To accurately calculate the Call Drop Rate, specific data points are required from various sources within the telecommunications network.

Call Detail Records (CDRs) are a crucial data source, containing detailed information about each call, including start and end times, caller and receiver IDs, and call duration.

Network Management Systems (NMS) provide data on network performance, including cell tower performance, signal strength, and network congestion.

Performance Monitoring Systems (PMS) collect data on network performance metrics, including call drop events and their associated reasons.

Operational Support Systems (OSS) and Business Support Systems (BSS) provide data on customer information, service usage, and network performance.

To give you a better idea of the data sources, here are some of the key ones:

An AI-powered analytics platform can significantly enhance the calculation and analysis of the Call Drop Rate.

With an AI-powered analytics platform, you can automatically identify trends and patterns in the data, such as spikes in call drop rates during specific times of the day.

These platforms can also detect spikes in call drop rates in certain geographical areas, providing valuable insights into network performance.

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Automated insights can help you correlate call drops with other network performance metrics, such as signal strength or network congestion, to identify the root causes of call drops.

By using an AI-powered analytics platform, you can gain a deeper understanding of your network performance and make data-driven decisions to improve it.

Improving DCR requires a multi-faceted approach. To start, increasing network capacity can help reduce dropped calls due to congestion. Industry standards recommend a DCR of below 2% to 3% for urban and suburban areas, so optimizing network design is crucial.

Improving signal quality is also essential, and can be achieved by installing additional cell towers or other equipment. Regular equipment maintenance is also vital to prevent equipment-related call drops. ITU recommendations suggest a DCR of less than 2% in most cases, so it's worth striving for this benchmark.

To reduce interference, telecommunications companies can use adaptive power control mechanisms and minimize interference through frequency planning. This can help reduce dropped calls caused by poor signal strength. By following these strategies, companies can improve DCR rates and maintain a high-quality service.

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Here are some specific techniques to improve DCR:

By implementing these strategies, telecommunications companies can reduce DCR rates and improve their service quality.