AT4 wireless Expands LTE Advanced Global Testing on Anritsu Test Platforms

For those in the U.S. who watch the popular TV show Project Runway, you know that at some point in every episode fashion icon Tim Gunn will look at the work of contestants and say, “make it work!”  As the Mobile World Congress 2015 (MWC) event in Barcelona has highlighted, the mobile world is not just focused on making it work in general, but making it work every time and all the time end-to-end, securing and cost-effectively. 

What this means, whether it is about devices, applications, services, network Quality of Service (QoS) or signaling solutions is that testing is important.  It means having key performance indicators that can validate if something is working as promised initially as well as over it lifecycle.  In a world where you rarely if ever get a second chance to make a first impression testing is critical. It is what makes the announcement at MWC by AT4 wireless and Anritsu noteworthy. 

The two companies have reached an agreement to upgrade the LTE (News - Alert) Advanced conformance test and carrier acceptance test capabilities in Europe, North America and APAC, supporting certification of mobile devices globally. It adds significant capability for the latest protocol and RF/RRM LTE test packages and Work Items.  Most significantly is that these items include Carrier Aggregation, IMS and VoLTE along with support of both FDD and TDD modes to ensure true global coverage.  Plus, the agreement includes further coverage with Carrier Acceptance Test Programs, where AT4 wireless offers testing services in Europe, North America and APAC.

In addition, and importantly, as an additional part of the capability expansion, Anritsu (News - Alert) is adding R&TTE test packages and signaling equipment for AT4 wireless´ “Over The Air” test facilities for both CTIA and Carrier specific requirements.

“We are very pleased to extend the relationship with AT4 wireless, using the ME7873L and the ME7834L which are leading test platforms in global certification testing and type approval, and supporting 3G, LTE and LTE-A, with widest test coverage and fastest test times. They are both established market leaders, proven across the industry, and continue to be enhanced to expand coverage on new technologies emerging in LTE-A. We are confident that this capability will help AT4 wireless to provide the best testing facilities,” said Michael Spatny, General Manager for Anritsu EMEA.

 “We see this as a very positive cooperation because AT4 wireless is keeping its global test labs in a very competitive position, offering to its international customers the very latest conformance testing services in 3G, LTE and now LTE Advanced, and at the same time is meeting the latest requirements of the leading Tier 1 carriers in mobile communications worldwide. Anritsu has built for AT4 wireless a significant test lab capacity in 3G and in LTE in Spain, USA, Taiwan and Japan that supports a much faster testing time for AT4 wireless customers who demand the best facilities and very flexible services that are available in time for market launch,” said Fernando E. Hardasmal, Deputy General Director at AT4 wireless.

The way “best practices” become best is because they have been thoroughly tested up front along with standing the tests of usage and time once deployed.  That up front phase is vital for any product or service.  Given the complexity associated with mobility services it really comes down to testing everything to assure the first impression is the best one. 

Indeed, as pointed out in a recent survey by J.D. Power in the U.S. the explosion of data traffic on mobile networks is causing problems that are increasing.  It actually helps make the case for adoption by LTE providers of next generation signaling solutions to help handle the load and provide great user experiences.  Indirectly it also makes the case for the importance of testing.