Let’s talk QoN. And no, that’s not a typo.
Sure, QoE is the success metric that most often rolls off broadband tongues, but Quality of Experience is only part of the story. While QoE is significant as a benchmark for many factors – speed, customer support, the price-value equation, and more – it’s important not to forget the essential role that a healthy, robust underlying network brings to the table.
In the post-pandemic broadband environment, the big need is for solutions that ensure that subscribers receive – without fail – the connectivity that they are paying for. An increased focused on Quality of Network, or QoN – told you it wasn’t a typo – is required to ensure drop-, buffer- and freeze-free execution of Zoom calls, video streams, and online games.
We can put a value on QoN but first let’s talk about why it’s so important. With so many subscribers already provisioned for the speeds they need, the real emphasis now is on eliminating the frustrations those subscribers feel when they encounter impediments to flawless service. This is especially true as increased streaming of live sports, bandwidth-hungry applications and continued growth of traffic in many providers’ limited upstream plants ratchet up the need for QoN.
As broadband prices rise and consumers scrutinize the cost-value relationship more than ever, operators need to be aware of the effect of QoN on subscriber satisfaction. The CNET Broadband Survey notes that more than half of subscribers whose bills rose last year – and 42% of all respondents – said they experienced unreliable speeds or connectivity. Respondents said the lack of reliable service impacted a wide range of activities, including entertainment (31%), remote work (19%), bill paying (18%), personal connections (16%), and staying up to date with current developments (13%).
CableLabs and its Kyrio arm have been ahead of the game in scoping Proactive Network Maintenance (PNM) and Profile Management Application (PMA) solutions that providers need to ensure network quality. Working closely with both organizations, OpenVault has used its AI/ML leadership to create the industry’s only integrated solution – Vantage – that incorporates both capabilities to:
- Detect and fix impairments before subscribers notice them;
- Dynamically adjust modem profiles for optimal performance;
- Avoid costly infrastructure upgrades like node splits; and
- Improve QoE while reducing churn and operating costs
How much is QoN worth? OV PNM and OV Advanced PMA™ are helping providers reduce truck rolls by up to 50% and customer care interactions by up to 40%, and are enabling up to 40% gains in network capacity. The 4Q24 OVBI showed how OV Advanced PMA in one system generated a 27% increase in throughput from 201 Mbps to 255 Mbps. This resulted in sufficient bandwidth to accommodate the high-definition streaming of 10 to 15 Netflix movies.
We’re not so bold as to assume that QoN will edge QoE aside in the broadband lexicon anytime soon, but we can’t stress enough the how important network quality is to the consumer experience. QoE is what subscribers feel when they engage with their broadband connections; QoN is the bedrock foundation that makes that possible. In short, it is impossible to have great QoE without great QoN.
Call us to learn how we can help you achieve both.