Cellular network test environments for external networks

Abstract

Various arrangements for testing a network external to a cellular network are presented. An external local network can be accessed by a cellular network test system integrated as part of the cellular network. The cellular network test system can configured user equipment (UE) to perform a test of a service on the external local network. The test can then be performed of the service on the external local network using the UE.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cellular network test system, comprising:
 a cellular network comprising a radio access network (RAN), a cellular network core, and an integrated test system;   a plurality of user equipment (UE), wherein:
 each UE is configured to communicate with the cellular network using the RAN of the cellular network; and 
 each UE is configured to communicate with a first external local network that is separate and distinct from the cellular network; and 
   the first external local network that hosts a service for the plurality of UE, wherein the integrated test system of the cellular network configures at least a subset of the UE for a test of the service hosted by the first external local network.   
     
     
         2 . The cellular network test system of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated test system of the cellular network is configured to perform a set of baseline measurements on the service prior to the test of the service being performed. 
     
     
         3 . The cellular network test system of  claim 1 , wherein the test of the service is selected from a test profile datastore of the integrated test system of the cellular network. 
     
     
         4 . The cellular network test system of  claim 3 , wherein the test is selected at least partially based on a type of the service and a type of the UE. 
     
     
         5 . The cellular network test system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second external local network that hosts the service for a second plurality of UE, wherein:
 the integrated test system of the cellular network configures at least a second subset of the UE for a second test of the service by the second external local network; and 
 the second external local network is separate and distinct from the first external local network. 
   
     
     
         6 . The cellular network test system of  claim 5 , wherein the integrated test system of the cellular network is further configured to perform a comparison using results of the test with results of the second test. 
     
     
         7 . The cellular network test system of  claim 1 , wherein a core of the cellular network and the integrated test system of the cellular network are hosted on a public cloud computing platform. 
     
     
         8 . The cellular network test system of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the subset of UE comprises configuring the subset of UE to communicate with the service hosted by the first external local network via the cellular network despite being connected with the first external local network. 
     
     
         9 . The cellular network test system of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the subset of UE comprises configuring the subset of UE to introduce a defined amount of latency when communicating with the service hosted by the first external local network. 
     
     
         10 . The cellular network test system of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular network is a 5G New Radio (NR) cellular network. 
     
     
         11 . A method for testing a network external to a cellular network, the method comprising:
 accessing an external local network by a cellular network test system integrated as part of the cellular network;   communicating, by the cellular network test system of the cellular network, with a plurality of user equipment (UE) to configure the plurality of UE to perform a test of a service on the external local network, wherein:
 the plurality of UE are configured to communicate with the cellular network and with the external local network; and 
   performing the test of the service on the external local network using the plurality of UE as configured by the cellular network test system.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 performing, by the cellular network test system of the cellular network, a set of baseline measurements on the service prior to performing the test of the service.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 selecting, by the cellular network test system of the cellular network, the test of the service from a test profile datastore of the cellular network.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the test is selected at least partially based on a type of the service and a type of the UE. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 communicating, by the cellular network test system of the cellular network, with a second plurality of UE to configure the second plurality of UE to perform a second test of a second service on a second external local network, wherein:
 the second plurality of UE are configured to communicate with the cellular network and with the second external local network; and 
   performing the second test of the second service on the second external local network using the second plurality of UE as configured by the cellular network test system, wherein the second external local network is separate and distinct from the external local network.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 performing, by the cellular network test system of the cellular network, a comparison using results of the test with results of the second test.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a core of the cellular network and the cellular network test system of the cellular network are hosted on a public cloud computing platform. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein communicating with the plurality of UE comprises configuring the plurality of UE to communicate with the service hosted by the external local network via the cellular network despite being connected with the external local network. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein communicating with the plurality of UE comprises configuring the plurality of UE to introduce a defined amount of latency when communicating with the service hosted by the external local network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cellular network is a 5G New Radio (NR) cellular network.