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Writer's pictureSusie S

Field Testing - The Critical Success Factor for Smartphone devices and Mobile Network Services

Updated: Sep 13


Field Testing is one of the most critical aspect to ensure success when a new device is launched in the market or for Mobile Operators to assess their services in terms of Quality of Experience (QoE) and Quality of Services (QoS).


In the recent months, many businesses have been under an enormous amount of pressure to continue operating as “usual” with the Covid-19 pandemic making headlines across the world. Many businesses have been strenuously revising their Business Continuity Plans (BCP) to ensure minimum impact in their operations and ensure staff safety. With the social distancing measures in places many governments have implemented rules and regulations meaning that Field Testing had to be performed by only one person in the car. This has put the tester in great danger who now has to drive and also test at the same time.



Smartphone Device Manufacturers


In order to launch a device in the market one part of the testing needs to be performed in live network conditions to ensure good software quality, performance, interoperability, robustness and stability. Field testing needs to be performed in a variety of network operators with cellular data switching between different RATs 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G (Inter handovers) and different cells within the same RAT (intra handovers). Weak area conditions and varying signal strength areas should also be considered during the planning of the testing.

Field Testing requires careful planning and needs to include:

  • Call Performance 2G, 3G, 4G, VoLTE/VoWiFi, 5G

  • KPIs for CSFB and VoLTE services

  • FTP uploads/downloads 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G

  • HTTP uploads / downloads 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G

  • Video Streaming 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G

  • Messaging

  • Battery Performance

Drive routes need to be selected carefully and different modes of transport should also be considered to include both drive tests and high-speed train conditions.

Mobile Network Operators


For mobile network operators Field Testing is also of paramount importance. They can test devices as part of their device acceptance process but also assess the Quality of Experience and Quality of Service for their end users. As part of Field-testing MNOs do perform high load testing meaning several devices under test at the same time to stress certain aspects of the network including new services introduction like VoLTE, 5G etc.

The other areas that are normal included are:

  • Call Performance and Audio MOS, 2G, 3G, 4G, VoLTE/VoWiFi, 5G

  • File Transfer Performance uploads/downloads 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G

  • Streaming Performance 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G

  • Messaging

  • Coverage and Reachability

  • Network Benchmark

  • Network Impact on Battery Performance


One way of ensuring efficient and optimised Field testing is implement test automation. viSer Test Automation will ensure all key activities are performed automatically and results are uploaded in the Viser Web Services Dashboard that can be reviewed and analysed.


Advantages of using ViSer Test Automation:


Stand Alone -Simple plug & play solution

No jailbreak or rooted devices needed

Real Time Results update and process

Fully scalable, test with one device or 100+

Control Remotely

Automatically start testing in specific conditions like RAT or Cell IDs removing the need for manual supervision or control

Option for automatic audio MOS assessment using POLQA algorithm

Automatically generated reports with results plotted on a Map.


Below some examples of reports available from Viser Test Automation.


Call Performance



Web Loading



Coverage and reachability




Viser Test automation is deployed by several operators and manufacturers across the work like Orange, SFR, Three, MEO, Elisa, Rakuten Mobile, Samsung, TCL Alcatel, Huawei and many others.



📲Contact us now for a demo and a free trial:


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