1. Using Mobile Metrics to Drive Network Analysis on Android Devices
Bo Yan
Department of Computer Science
University of Massachusetts Lowell

2. Network Analysis
An important research topic as many communicate via mobile devices
Troubleshoot network connectivity
Diagnose network performance

3. What Kind Of Metrics Do We Have
Network metrics
Signal strength
Connection states
Latency and bandwidth
Context information
Location
Geo-coordinates
Cell tower
User Behavior
Indoor/outdoor
Still/moving

4. Signal Strength Signal Strength
dBm (or dBmW) is an abbreviation for the power ratio in decibels (dB) of the measured power referenced to one milliwatt (mW)
X = 10 * log10P + 30 expresses an arbitrary power P as x dBm

5. Cellular Signal Strength - GSM
GSM signal ASU (Active Set Update)
An integer value proportional to the received signal strength
In range from 0 to 30, and 99, defined in 3GPP TS
Signal[dBm] = * Signal[asu]
GSM Bit Error Rate
In range from 0 to 7, and 99, defined in 3GPP TS
RXQUAL_0, BER < 0.2%
RXQUAL_1, 0.2% < BER < 0.4%
RXQUAL_2, 0.4% < BER < 0.8%
RXQUAL_3, 0.8% < BER < 1.6%
RXQUAL_4, 1.6% < BER < 3.2%
RXQUAL_5, 3.2% < BER < 6.4%
RXQUAL_6, 6.4% < BER < 12.8%
RXQUAL_7, 12.8% < BER

6. Cellular Signal Strength - CDMA
CDMA RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication)
Value in dBm
CDMA EC/IO
Value in dB * 10
The ratio of received pilot energy, Ec, to total received energy, Io.
Ec/Io[dB] = RSSI[dBm] – RSCP[dBm]
EVDO RSSI
EVDO Ec/Io
EVDO SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio)
Value in range from 0 to 8
SNR[dB] = RSSI[dBm] – NOISE[dBm]

7. Cellular Network States
Call states
IDLE, RINGING, OFFHOOK
Incoming phone number
Data activity
IN, OUT, INOUT, DORMANT
Data connection states
DISCONNECTED, CONNECTING, CONNECTED, SUSPEND

8. Wi-Fi Network States Wi-Fi supplicant states
ASSOCIATED, ASSOCIATING, AUTHENTICATING, COMPLETED, DISCONNECTED, DORMANT, FOUR_WAY_HANDSHAKE, GROUP_HANDSHAKE, INACTIVE, INTERFACE_DISABLED, INVALID, SCANNING, UNINITIALIZED
Access Point
SSID and BSSID
link speed

9. Network Performance Network Latency Ping command result
Socket connection latency
Network Goodput
Upload/download test to/from a target server

10. Location Geo-coordinates Latitude and longitude
Help identify dead zone
Cell tower
Report weak signal coverage

11. User Behavior Accelerometer Sensor
Infer movement from 3D accelerations
Light Sensor
Day time or mid night

12. Example – Troubleshoot Network Connectivity

13. Example – Network Latency