Performance Evaluation of a Real Long Term Evolution (LTE) Network

This paper analyzes the performance of a real LTE network through the real LTE network drive tests. Test cases were performed under stationary and mobile conditions. Paper presents the results under high user mobility conditions and compares these results with the ones collected under stationary conditions. User mobility affects average received user throughput, block error rates (BLER), Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) and Reference Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) values significantly. All of the test cases were performed using real LTE device in a real LTE network. Video traffic was used in drive tests under stationary and mobile conditions. The main key performance indicators used in this paper are average sector throughput, the number of codewords (CW) used, channel quality indicator (CQI), block error rate (BLER), signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SNIR), RSSI, RSRQ, and RSRP values. Average throughput values are very important to show the promised throughput performance of the LTE network. User mobility affects average delivered user throughput, BLER, and CQI values significantly.