Testing Telecom Domain with Sample OSS/BSS Test cases

Software Testing Automation Testing Testing Tools

What is Telecom Testing, and what does it entail?

Telecommunication software testing is characterized as telecom testing. The telecommunications business has relied on the software since the transition to digital and computer networks. Many services in the telecom business, such as routing and switching, VoIP broadband access, and so on, rely on various sorts of software components. Telecom software testing is thus unavoidable.

In testing, what is a domain?

The industry for which the software testing project is built is referred to as a domain. This word is frequently used while discussing software projects or development. The Insurance domain, for example, the Banking domain, the Retail domain, the Telecom domain, and so on.

Typically, domain expert assistance is requested when building any specialized domain project. A domain expert is an expert in his field who may know everything there is to know about a product or application.

Why is it important to test domain knowledge?

Domain expertise is vital for testing any software product, and it comes with its own set of advantages, such as

It reduces the training time.
It helps in quick defect tracking
It gives a good idea of UI features and back-end processing
It gives good hold workflow, business process, and rule
It helps to understand easily the technical technology

An Example of a Telecom Business Process

The following is an example of a typical telecom business procedure.

Telecom Service Provider (TSP) approaches customer
Customer generates inquiry
Customer orders service to TSP
After technical evaluation, implementing of an order takes place
The tracking system tracks the order status if the order implementation stops at any stage, tracks and tries to fix it
After implementation is done, the client starts using the service, the billing starts
Now to support the customer service, the service assurance team works
The software will have applications to support each of these

The Telecom Industry's Business Processes

End-to-end service verification is critical in telecom testing. A thorough understanding of the various business processes is required to ensure efficient testing.

Before designing the test cases, you must first comprehend each level of service delivery ability.

Telecom services are based on either a business support system (IVRs, Call Centers, invoice generation, etc.) or an operation support system (routers, switches, cell towers, etc.).

The following points illustrate which actions are conducted at various levels.

Pre-sales − It manages all sales information, such as discounts, services, and promotions.
Ordering − Making an application for a new connection or disconnecting an existing one
Provisioning − This division is in charge of the physical link between clients and TSP (Telecom Service Provider)
Billing − All billing work is completed in this section.
Assurance of Service − In the event of a failure, this division is in charge of rectifying the situation.
Inventory Control Systems − It is the central store for all data.
Tracking − This division keeps track of the ordering system and order status.

In the Telecom Industry, Life Cycle is being tested

The telecom sector's test lifecycle is comparable to that of any other industry, but with a focus on details. The test lifecycle is depicted below, along with the test artifacts.

Business View
- Requirement based test artifacts
- Feasibility based artifacts
- Standard and policy identification based test artifacts
- Operation and maintenance considerations related to testing artifacts
System/ Architecture
- System test artifacts (Security, Installation)
- Test artifacts for virtual prototype
- Special System Testing artifacts (interoperability, disaster recovery)
Implementation
- Unit test artifacts
- Integration test artifacts
- Quality and performance artifacts
- Regression, load testing, sanity, etc.
Deployment
- Acceptance test artifacts
- Integration test artifacts
- Quality and performance artifacts
- Functional test artifacts
- Alpha/Beta test artifacts

Protocols used in the Telecom Industry

The most widely used protocols in the telecom business are listed below.

Signaling and Protocols − SIP, ISDN, Codecs, H.323
VoIP technologies − VoIP, IMS, MPLS, ISDN, PSTN
Wireless technologies − GPRS, CDMA, GSM, and UMTS are examples of wireless technology.
Layer 2 Protocols − ARP, STP, L2TP, PPP
Layer 3 Protocols − ICMP, BGP, ISIS, MPLS
Infrastructure/ Security − ATM, TCP/IP, LAN/VLAN, and SSH are examples of infrastructure and security

Types of Testing Performed on Telecom Software

Interconnection Testing
Conformance Testing
IVR Testing
Performance testing
Security testing
Interoperability Testing
Protocol Testing
Functional Testing
Automation testing

The benefits of Having Domain Expertise

Domain knowledge is essential for each project's testing.

The following is a list of the numerous benefits of having domain knowledge −

Lessens the amount of time spent training

If a tester already has domain knowledge, they will only need little training, which will save the project money and time.

Productivity

Any firm with domain knowledge will be more productive since testers with domain knowledge can quickly grasp any problem particular to their domain expertise and deliver the exact answer to the problem, cutting down on analysis time.

This will boost both the project's and the organization's productivity.

Solid knowledge of the user interface and back-end processes

A tester with in-depth topic knowledge can recommend an application's user interface (UI) from the perspective of the end-user. They can also identify issues early in the testing process thanks to their expertise in the back-end system.

If a tester has domain knowledge, they can go outside the box and develop novel test cases that raise valid issues about an application's present workflow.

Familiarity with the domain's technical terms

Typically, a developer will use technical jargon throughout a conversation, therefore domain expertise will be beneficial to a tester during such conversations. This will be beneficial to the testing group as well.

If a tester has domain knowledge, he or she can analyze the test cases technically and proposed technical adjustments to the test case flow as required by the business.

Knowledge of Business Procedures and Rules

Domain-savvy testers can join in discussions with the business and development teams. When representing a business in front of a client, their knowledge will be crucial. Such testers can immediately discover flaws in the requirement document since they have a thorough understanding of the domain processes and standards.

A Valuable Contributor to the Company

Testers with subject knowledge might serve as mentors to newcomers to the company. This saves money for the project and the organization, which would otherwise have to hire a specific coach.

Telecom Testing Sample TestCases

In Telecom Testing, the following tests must be considered.

Various Telecom Testing	Testing activities in Telecom
Billing System	Check to see if the customer's phone number is registered with the telecom operator Check to see if the phone number is still active. Check that the number entered is correct and that it is a ten-digit number. Make sure the phone number isn't blacklisted for any reason. Check to see if the phone number has any outstanding bills, and if so, display them on the screen. Check to see whether the phone number has any past accounts or invoices that have been paid. Verify that the system allows for the generation of statements in accordance with the customer's needs. Check to see if the system has accurately recorded a number of calls. Verify that the customer's chosen plan appears on the billing system. Check that the total amount billed is correct and corresponds to the service provided.
Application Testing	Protocols, signaling, and field testing for IoT applications, as well as functional testing for fundamental mobile handset apps such as a call, SMS, transfer/hold, and so on. Various applications, including as finance, sports, and location-based services, are being tested. Testing of the OSS and BSS
OSS-BSS Testing	Revenue assurance, billing, customer service, interconnect billing, order and fraud management Network management, mediation, provisioning, and other services are available. EAI, CRM & ERP, data warehousing, and other technologies are available.
Conformance Testing	Electrical interface compatibility Conformance of protocol Conformance of transport layers
IVR Testing	Interactive test scenarios Detection of voice energy Broadband audio tones Extensive conditional branching sequences DTMF Entries

Summary

The telecom service is a very broad field that includes a variety of components such as cables, networks, signals, protocols, and so on, and their testing necessitates a wide range of testing techniques. The testing techniques and strategy used are heavily influenced by the component of telecom being tested.

The test requirement, scope, test scenarios, testing methodology, testing tools, and so on vary depending on the type of testing involved, such as VoIP protocol testing or CDMA wireless device testing. The lesson provides a basic yet comprehensive explanation of how telecom testing can be carried out, as well as a discussion of various telecom testing prospects.

Vineet Nanda

Updated on: 19-Aug-2021

3K+ Views

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