Generation UMTS

3rd February, 2004

Europe Uk : Racal Instruments Wireless Solutions (RIWS), an Aeroflex company, announced the launch of its latest test platform the 6401 AIME/CT ISHO, the first system able to rigorously test the intersystem handover (ISHO) capability of mobile handsets. The system combines the 2/2.5G test capabilities of the well- established 6103 GPRS AIME with the new 3G protocol test system, the 6401 AIME/CT. The capability to test intersystem handover* is a major milestone for the industry in building confidence in the performance of 3G networks and handsets.

RIWS' first ISHO test cases have seen industry endorsement following their approval by the Global Certification Forum (GCF) at last week's meeting in Munich. The next wave of test cases currently numbering 51 in total will be submitted over the next year. The test cases and test platform were validated by the Validation Competence Center of CETECOM, in Essen following evaluation by all stakeholders including a leading handset manufacturer and a chipset vendor.

Phil Medd, RIWS product manager for the 3G UE Protocol Test System, explained, "Intersystem handover has emerged as an issue since there is only a limited number of certified (119 out of 390) 3G test cases most of which relate to basic operational features of network and system. The sheer volume is a problem. As such there has been very little work undertaken on areas such as intersystem handover resulting in poor performance, such as dropped calls, especially in the 2G to 3G direction where the test cases have been given lower priority. The launch of our intersystem handover test platform brings manufacturers a much needed test capability enabling the confident deployment of handsets that will handover seamlessly from one technology to another".

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