The Electronic Communications Office of Iceland (ECOI) has partnered with Rohde & Schwarz mobile network testing to conduct an extensive assessment of the country’s three mobile network operators. The primary objective is to evaluate and benchmark their performance, coverage, and capacity, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) for end users in Iceland. This initiative is particularly significant given Iceland’s challenging geography and climate.
Rohde & Schwarz has been creating a safer and more connected world through its Test & Measurement, Technology Systems, and Networks & Cybersecurity Divisions. With a legacy spanning 90 years, this global technology group continually pushes the boundaries of innovation in cutting-edge technologies. Rohde & Schwarz’s forefront products and solutions empower industrial, regulatory, and government customers, enabling them to achieve technological and digital sovereignty.
As a privately owned company based in Munich, it operates independently, focusing on long-term and sustainable initiatives. In the fiscal year 2022/2023 (July to June), Rohde & Schwarz recorded a net revenue of EUR 2.78 billion. As of June 30, 2023, the company employed approximately 13,800 professionals worldwide.
Rohde & Schwarz is one of the global providers offering a diverse range of standalone products, integrated solutions, and network analytics services dedicated to testing and enhancing the quality of mobile networks throughout their entire lifecycle. The comprehensive portfolio covers a spectrum of activities, including lab verification, spectral clearance, interference hunting, base station installation, site acceptance, benchmarking, optimization, troubleshooting, and monitoring.
Encompassing technologies up to 5G, the innovative solutions cater to various test and measurement scenarios from RF to end-user quality of experience (QoE). With the ability to accurately collect data and provide machine learning-assisted insights into QoE, Rohde & Schwarz empowers leading mobile network industry players to make informed, QoE-centric decisions, deliver superior services, reduce time to market for new technologies, and enhance the overall value of their business.
ECOI has commissioned Rohde & Schwarz for network analytics services to implement a benchmarking campaign based on an internationally standardized and transparent process defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). The national regulatory authority, Fjarskiptastofa (FST), also known as the Electronic Communications Office of Iceland (ECOI), has entrusted Rohde & Schwarz to execute this large-scale mobile network quality benchmarking campaign.
One of the notable aspects of this campaign is the adoption of the Network Performance Score (NPS) 2.0, a fully transparent test methodology aligned with ETSI TR 103 559. ECOI is among the pioneering regulatory authorities in Europe to utilize the NPS for such an extensive network benchmarking initiative.
The NPS methodology is recognized for providing standardized key performance indicators (KPIs) for mobile networks through active drive and walk tests, ensuring an industry-proven standard for quality of service and user experience assessments.
The benchmarking campaign took place over five weeks in September and October 2023, covering approximately 9,000 km across diverse terrains, including major cities, small towns, remote roads, and shopping malls. The evaluation encompassed over 17,000 calls and over 160,000 data tests, incorporating various application-level tests such as 90-second voice calls, eGaming applications, online meetings, and video chats. This comprehensive approach aimed to assess the typical experience for current subscribers in Iceland, with a focus on 5G-dominant networks.
Results from the benchmark measurements indicated that all three mobile networks in Iceland—Síminn, Nova, and Vodafone—scored over 700 points out of 1000, placing them on par with other European mobile networks. The findings highlighted very good 5G coverage in cities and towns, coupled with excellent 4G coverage nationwide. While both voice and data services were deemed reliable, the assessment identified areas for potential improvement, particularly along highways, thanks to the sensitivity of the NPS method in real drive tests.
ECOI’s goal is to stimulate the development of Iceland’s telecommunications networks, ensuring service accessibility for everyone across the sparsely populated island. By fostering healthy competition among the three Icelandic network operators through benchmarking, ECOI aims to encourage infrastructure investment that ultimately benefits end-users and businesses.
Þorleifur Jónasson, Director of the Infrastructure Division at the Electronic Communications Office of Iceland, emphasized the importance of a methodology deeply rooted in internationally recognized standards for a fair and unbiased assessment of mobile network quality. ECOI’s collaboration with Rohde & Schwarz and their adoption of the ETSI-defined Network Performance Score methodology underscored their commitment to this approach.
Maja Mitic, Director of Network Analytics Services Mobile Network Testing at Rohde & Schwarz, acknowledged the unique challenges faced by Iceland’s expansive landscapes and rough climate, emphasizing the significance of transparent and unbiased benchmarking to ensure continued investment, innovation, and consumer protection through heightened competition among Icelandic network operators. This initiative represents a crucial step in advancing the country’s telecommunications landscape and user experience.
