The Trouble with Twitters (the impact of smartphone signaling)

Over the last few years there has been a dramatic increase in the volume of mobile data traffic and this growth shows no signs of abating.  The widely held belief is that this growth in data traffic is impacting the performance of today’s 3G networks.  The reality is that the true culprit lies, at least in part, with the amount of signaling traffic that is also being generated.

For this research project we collaborated with Anite, a leading supplier of test and measurement equipment, who provided us with its Nemo Handy drive test tool to capture the impact of using various mobile data applications and social networking services.  We then used its Nemo Outdoor and Nemo Analyze products to analyze much of the data that we collecte

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Specific topics in this report include the following:

A Technical Primer.  We explain some of the details behind how signaling works on a 3G network, including the amount of signaling required for a mobile device to switch between the various states that exist.

Quantifying the Problem.  Based on feedback from an assortment of leading suppliers and operators from around the world we shed some light into how signaling is being created and the financial impact that this signaling traffic is having.

Finding the Culprits.  Using the Nemo Handy drive test tool we capture the performance characteristics of various mobile data applications (POP3 email and Internet browsing), as well as social networking services, such as Yahoo IM, Skype, Twitter, and Facebook.  By looking at these characteristics under normal usage patterns we clearly demonstrate where the fault lies. 

Looking for Solutions.  Fortunately, there are solutions to the problem.  These solutions range from the obvious – add more capacity – to the more mundane, including additions to the 3G network architecture, changes to network policy decisions, working more closely with handset manufacturers and application developers, and introducing new HSPA+ features, which are part of the R7 and R8 standard.