frame error rate (mobile comm., WLAN) (FER)

The packet error rate, frame error rate(FER), is a criterion for the quality of the transmission link. If the transmission link is of poor quality, the error rate increases and the network management must reduce the data rate, switch alternative routes, ensure data transmission by aggregation or take other measures to ensure the transmission of information.

Packet error rate assessment is equally used in wireless networks, WLANs and wireline transmission technology.

The frame error rate is the ratio of the number of data packets transmitted with errors to the total number of data packets sent out. An error rate of ` 1 means that all frames are transmitted with errors, since the number of frames with errors is equal to the total number of all frames transmitted. A frame error rate of `6*10^-6` means that on average 6 frames out of one million transmitted frames are erroneous.

There is a relationship between the frame error rate and the bit error rate, which can be determined via the frame length and the bit error rate( BER). Depending on the frame length, there is a higher or lower probability that bit errors are also frame errors. If there are no bit errors, then there are also no frame errors.