In this way, today we would like to present to you - that are still not familiar with - a

fantastic set of free solutions, but that surely will have utility for anyone who works with
GSM, UMTS and/or LTE: Let's talk about G-NetTrack (and several other modules in the
'package'), an application for Android devices that will likely surprise you by the quality and
efficiency with which performs various types of tasks.

So, let's go?

Note: All telecomHall articles are originally written in Portuguese. Following we translate to
English and Spanish. As our time is short, maybe you find some typos (sometimes we just
use the automatic translator, with only a final and 'quick' review). We apologize and we
have an understanding of our effort. If you want to contribute translating / correcting of
these languages, or even creating and publishing your tutorials, please contact us: contact.
Update: follow GNetTrack on Facebook

Where it all began... XDA-Developers!

Before talking about the application itself, it is worth doing a short introduction.
If you're in the business of mobile device programming for sure you've heard of XDA
Developers. If you haven't heard, it's worth knowing: this is one of the largest existing
online communities, formed by the best developers of all kinds of software, operating
systems and mobile device manufacturers. The xda-developers.com 'main site' is focused on
Windows Phone and Android (and other similar as WebOS and Ubuntu Touch). As another
'arm' of development, we have the 'iphone-developers.com' site, virtually a mirror of xdadevelopers, but with focus on iPhone iOS.
Note: the name XDA is derived from the 'XPDA', or an PDA with 'Extra Features' released by
O2.

As we said, this community brings together the best professionals in this area. And a few
years ago the Member 'gyokov', one of the participants of this forum, has developed and
released an application for Windows Phone, as we can see here in the original post of the
Forum:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=833176
A fairly simple application to the present day: when you click on a 'Start' button (1), the
user can see the Cellid changes and the LAC of the GSM network, as well as the Data Speed
of the network.

Like any good developer, gyokov continued developing the G-NetSpeed. Currently we have
available a version for Android, and with more features: the G-NetTrack, as we can see in
the 'official' release in another post from XDA-Developers:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1751074

In addition to the G-NetTrack, other tools or 'solutions' were developed, creating a complete
system for analysis and monitoring that all professional who works with 2G, 3G or 4G
networks must have.
So let's continue seeing some of these tools in action. All of them can be found on the
developer's website: Gyokov Solutions.

G-NetTrack
We start with G-NetTrack, the most complete solution for testing and quality monitoring in
2G, 3G and/or 4G networks.
To start using the program, the first step, as always, is to access 'Google Play', and do a
search for it (1). Continue with the default installation, and open it.

General Information (Cell)

When you start the G-NetTrack main screen appears below.

The information here is useful for those already working in the area, and therefore already
know all these concepts and measures, with no need for further details.
Here we have several information: MCC, MNC, LAC, RNC, Cellid, Type, RXLEV, RXQUAL, UL
Bit Rate, Dl Bit Rate, Latitude, Longitude among others.
Note: attention here for the time that the cell was as servant. And the data of the previous
server cells are also available in a table (including the time when the EU was in each one of
them).

Neighbors (Nei)
Continuing on the screens of the application, click on the button 'NEI' (1) and thus we have
the server cell information (2) and also of its neighbors (3).

Other Information (Info)

We will purposefully here 'skip' the Map Window, because we will be discussing it with more
details later. Then, in the 'Info' (1) window, as its name suggests, we have various
information, as seen in the following example.

From af all information available here, probably the one that deserves mention is the IMSI,
because this field is used to perform Call Trace in 'BSC/RNC' that is, you can easily find
and pass this information to anyone in the Office doing a possible parallel monitoring
(trace).

Drive Test Mode (Drive)

A very interesting feature of the application is that it allows the 'Drive Mode', that is, a way
with big letters with the most important information: Technology (1), LAC (2), Cellid (3) and
RXLEV (4).

Of course, we do not recommend using this feature when you're driving, but this big screen
is very useful even when we stopped in specific locations. You can for example put the
device on the dashboard of the vehicle and continue working in parallel with your notebook.

Map (Map)
But with no doubt, one of the best options that we have is to display the data in a Map Map button (1).

By clicking on the DropDown Menu (1), we have access to a number of measures, such as
LEVEL e CELL (best server).

According to the choice, the information in the map are updated.

When you click the 'Export' button (1), multiple files are generated in a folder (2), where
the G-NetTrack was installed ('G-NetTrack _ Logs'). For each of the collected data (rxlev,
snr, bestserver, etc ...) there's a Google Earth KML file, in addition to a Text type file with
all the information needed, so you can postProcess (for example in Mapinfo or G-Net 'own'
Drive Test parser that we will see more below). A file is also generated with the Events
(Dropped Calls, Failures, etc...).

Another very interesting feature of this application is the ability to save a snapshot of the
screen (2) just by clicking the corresponding Screenshot button (1).

And our Test Drive starts to get even more interesting when we enter our own network
information. Each cell is represented with an arrow, which according to the technology is
thicker or thinner. In addition, the arrows are colored with relevant colours each sector
has the same color when active and is plotted on a map.

Note: soon we will see how to import the basic information of our network in the
application.

Other Menus
Through the Main Menu (1), we have access to several 'Options and Settings'.

Here's where you start (1), pause and stop (2) data collections. It is also here where you
can 'Exit the Application' (3), and if you want to, 'Disable Map and GPS' (4). Also two other
important Menus, which give access to 'Settings' (5) and 'More Options' (6).

In the 'Settings' menu, we have a variety of adjustments that can be made. One for
example is the definition of ranges and custom colors to collected data.

And a fantastic G-NetTrack function is the ability to perform a sequence of voice and/or data
calls!
In this ' settings ' menu, can make these adjustments.

The voice or data calls are configured through each of the items according to the desired.
For example we can type 'Which the number to be dialed' (1), 'How many times it must be
dialed' (2), and others as the 'Duration of each call' and 'Target URL' (3), the latter in the
case of Data Call.

To start the sequence of calls, after the data has been configured, go to the 'More Options'
Menu as we saw previously, and then choose the desired sequence, such as Voice (1) or
Data (2).

Anyway, as you have explored all the most common functions of G-NetTrack, you can make
your advanced options in this menu.
So let's continue and see how we can insert our data in the application.

G-NetTrack CELLFILE format - Importing data of your network to GNetTrack

You can use the G-NetTrack without any customization or other action in addition to the
standard installation, but at least the importation of data from your network is
recommended.
To do this, simply create a plain text file, TAB-delimited, with the information which the GNetTrack need. Tip: you can download this sample file, on the main page of G-NetTrack,
and simply replace it with the data from your network.

Note: it may be that, depending on the version/update of the application, more fields are
added. But don't worry, if the new data is missing, the new functionality will use 'default'
values. Anyway, it is always good to keep the file as updated as possible both in number
of fields, and in the values of the network.
Next, we have a list of key fields:
CELLNAME: the name of the cell (in fact, you can put other additional information here, as RNC and

other information you find relevant);

LAT: latitude in decimal format (and using 'dot');
LONG: longitude in decimal format (and using 'dot');
LAC: of cell;
CELLID: of cell;
AZIMUTH: of antenna;
TECH: thecnology (2G, 3G or 4G);
NODE: depends on thecnology.
o For 2G (GSM) can be left blank;
o For 3G put the RNC (can also be left blank if 'LAC-CELLID' is unique;
o For 4G put eNodeB ID (attention here because this field is required for 4G).

The procedure for import of data is quite simple. First, save this file (cellfile.txt) into folder
'G_NetTrack_Logs/cellfile', the same place where G-NetTrack was installed.
To see sites on the map in the 'Settings' Menu select the option 'Show Sites' (1). Note that
in this case the application needs to be restarted - you should exit out and run it again.

Note: If you are in doubt whether your file is correct, you can do an online check, using the
application that we will see next (G-NetDiag).

Other Solutions

As if not enough all the features presented on the G-NetTrack, we also have several other
'modules', or solutions that have been developed to facilitate the work with 2G-3G-4G
networks. Let's get to know each one of them.

G-NetDiag
G-NetDiag is a tool for online post-processing of the data we collect using the G-NetTrack,
those logs that are exported when we click the button 'Export'. Just click on the 'LOGFILE'
(1) and navigate to the collected log file, and click on the 'CELLFILE' (2), and point to the
file with the network data in the format of G-NetTrack.
The data presented have a wealth of information for all the measures collected as 'LEVEL'
(3). And you can 'Play' (4), move 'Forward' (5) or 'Backward' (6), with the corresponding
views on a map.

Still: with a double click on any point of the map, be it a cell or collected data, you see it's
information in a table.

At the bottom, we have a chart with the information of levels (1) of serving cell (2) and
neighbors (3).

G-NetLink
A solution more focused solution on Transmission (TX), G-NetLink enables several analyses
between two points (A) and (B), such as distance, loss in free space, Fresnel diagram, etc.
Its data can be seen both on the map, as in a chart with the heights information.

Using a graphical interface (1), the user has access to all the editing options and
corresponding actions in this kind of analysis. Note: you can create the point A and point B
by navigating to the desired location, and by double-clicking.

G-NetTilt

Another useful solution allows viewing (theoretical) antenna coverage area, according to the
tilt applied (and also other items such as Height and Azimuth). In addition to the aerial view
(1) you can have a vision through antenna (2).

Again, all the editing options and corresponding actions are available in the side menu.

Even more solutions!

We could go on enumerating here several other solutions, such as:
G-NetEarth: online post-processing tool like G-NetDiag described above, except that for Google
Earth instead of Google Maps;

 G-NetLook: Radio Frequency Planning and Optimization tool for visualization of cell data, Neighbors
and KPI Performance;

G-NetWorld: webservice for uploading and sharing of user measures G-NetTrack;

G-NetSpeed: measure of network speed - uplink/downlink;
G-NetPing: statistics of 'ping' and 'trace route'; among other.

However, we believe that we have reached our goal here today, which was to introduce this
set of solutions that we suggest is used for you to improve your productivity in any GSM,
WCDMA and LTE!
Note: If you want, you can try online many of the solutions shown above: on each page,
look for the link for this purpose, with demonstration and sample data.

Hunter Updater - G-NetTrack

If you already use the Hunter Suite, you already use the automation of tasks. In this case,
we create a specific module (very simple) that creates the CELLFILE file of G-NetTrack just
by clicking a button looking for the necessary information from other modules with
information from our network.
For example, with just one click (1), the module 'Hunter Updater-G-NetTrack' accesses the
information of other modules (2) with network information (configuration parameters,
azimuths, etc.) and creates the file in its final form (3).

For you that is not Hunter User, idea is always the same reuse data from your network
(look for those information in unique locations), and create your own macro, for example
using Excel so you gain time, since you don't need to always manually update these
output data. And so do the job better and easily distribute it to all users of this file(s).