Network Performance Monitor for 5G/RAN: A Probe-Driven Approach

Modern operators need a network performance monitor that reflects real subscriber experience and radio conditions—not just device counters. This guide shows how to build a field-proven system for mobile and RAN using Dingli solutions: 24/7 unattended probes, automated benchmarking, cloud-based post-processing, and OTT/QoE measurements across outdoor, indoor, and private 5G scenarios.

What a Network Performance Monitor Means in Mobile Networks

In a RAN context, a network performance monitor continuously collects coverage, capacity, mobility, and application-level QoE. It uses autonomous probes and commercial smartphones to gather evidence, then aggregates, visualizes, and reports findings for parameter tuning, capacity planning, or troubleshooting.

Dingli’s Monitoring Architecture

The goal is to unify data collection, remote control, and post-processing so teams can deploy a scalable monitoring solution across cities, campuses, transport lines, and indoor venues.

Pilot Scout — 24/7 unattended probes

Fixed or vehicle-mounted kits collect throughput, latency, drops, and RF indicators. They act as the always-on edge of the monitoring system.

Pilot Matrix — automated benchmarking

Industrial-grade parallel testing across multiple UEs and modules in SA, NSA, and RedCap. It enables cross-operator and cross-band comparisons within one drive test.

Pilot WeTest — QoE with real smartphones

Simulates real user actions such as gaming, messaging, shopping, and 4K video. These app-level metrics turn traditional network monitoring into experience monitoring.

Pilot Foresight — indoor and Wi-Fi analysis

Android app plus LIDAR generates walking tracks, heatmaps, and roaming insights for malls, hospitals, transport hubs, and offices.

Pilot Fleet Edge — centralized control and reporting

Cloud-ready platform to push tasks, track status, decode logs, visualize GIS layers, and generate templated reports.

Key KPIs to Monitor

A mobile-first network performance monitor must observe both radio quality and user experience:

• Coverage & quality: RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, neighbor relations, handover success.
• Throughput & latency: downlink/uplink speeds, delay, jitter, packet loss.
• Voice & video QoE: VoLTE/VoNR MOS, call setup time, mute and drop events, video start delay, buffering.
• IoT/RedCap: accessibility, attach success, mobility patterns, weak coverage alarms.
• Indoor/Wi-Fi: AP coverage, interference, roaming, path-based heatmaps.

All data is collected via probes and smartphones, then processed centrally in Fleet Edge.

Where Monitoring Delivers the Most Value

• City-scale continuous quality monitoring: create a living “network temperature map” through fixed probes and vehicle-based routes.
• Competitive benchmarking: compare operators, bands, or devices in a single campaign.
• Private 5G and campus networks: set QoS/QoE baselines for AGVs, security, or production systems.
• Indoor/Wi-Fi optimization: use LIDAR-assisted walks to pinpoint coverage gaps and validate fixes.

Deployment Checklist

• Define footprint: trunk roads, metros, key venues, and high-complaint areas.
• Choose form factors: fixed 24/7 probes, vehicle routes, indoor LIDAR walks, and OTT app tests.
• Centralize control in Fleet Edge with templates, thresholds, and GIS layers.
• Close the loop: link findings to optimization actions, then re-measure.
• Review regularly: weekly or monthly trend packs to measure ROI and QoE improvements.

How It Differs from IT-Centric Tools

Most search results for network performance monitor focus on enterprise IT (SNMP, flow analysis, topology). Mobile operators, however, require a probe-driven approach that measures RF conditions and real application QoE, then maps it geospatially for optimization.

Conclusion

A probe-driven network performance monitor aligns engineering with real subscriber experience. Start with Pilot Scout for 24/7 baselining, use Pilot Matrix for benchmarking, extend indoor insights with Pilot Foresight, validate QoE through WeTest, and manage it all via Fleet Edge. This holistic monitoring approach turns raw data into actionable improvements for 5G and beyond.