Increasing implementation rates of 3G wireless networks and their associated high-bandwidth services have done much to drive the demand for wireless network monitoring services.

Most leading Tier 1 operators in North America and Western Europe have already began implementing these networks and many operators in Asia Pacific as well as Eastern Europe expect to follow suit in the next one to two years.

The need to monitor these services will likely drive wireless network monitoring services over the next several years.

"With implementation rates of 3G wireless networks and services on the rise, the opportunities for monitoring system vendors are significant indeed," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Mark Holler. "It is imperative that network operators ensure extremely high quality of these new services in order to attract and retain new subscribers."

As network operators change their approach from customer-centric management to a more service-oriented one, vendors providing monitoring systems face significant challenges. Earlier systems focused on basic network monitoring and troubleshooting, however, now the demands of operators have increased. Operators expect advanced systems capable of monitoring network connectivity and services as well as their customers.

Offering these advanced services will likely heighten the complexity of monitoring and analysis. Market participants will need to understand the changing needs of network operators to design appropriate products and applications.

"Vendors need to understand the focus shift by operators and offer a range of products/solutions specific to subscriber experience and service management, as opposed to basic products/solutions for managing network elements," notes Holler. "By reflecting this changing focus in their business and structuring their marketing strategies accordingly, vendors can address the challenge posed by network operators changing needs."

Focusing on quality will likely become a key competitive advantage as network operators express increasing interest in wireless network monitoring systems. Moreover, complexity in the network has increased considerably due to the convergence of multiple technologies such as voice, audio, video, and data. This has created strong demand for systems capable of monitoring across all of the various technologies incorporated in increasingly complex communication networks.

Operators greatly value the ability to implement one solution that monitors quality across the various technologies contained within the network. End-to-end network monitoring enables network operators to get a real-time view of the performance experienced by subscribers.