Europe : NetTest, a global provider of operational support solutions for advanced and converged networks, today unveils the latest release of its award-winning MasterQuest solution. With MasterQuest 5.0, NetTest empowers service providers with the industry's most comprehensive solution for both UMTS radio access and VoIP networks. With multi-purpose session tracing capabilities ranging from dedicated troubleshooting to customer support functions over advanced data warehouse applications for service assurance and network optimisation, MasterQuest 5.0 enables rapid and successful service life cycle management.

MasterQuest 5.0 adds support for the Traffic Observer application, a powerful, real-time network monitoring tool targeting Network Operation Centers that require rapid detection and pinpointing of revenue-critical and customer-affecting issues in a fast paced environment.

With this latest release, MasterQuest becomes the industry's first systems-based platform that offers end-to-end UTRAN (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) and core UMTS network coverage. With consolidated statistics and troubleshooting across the UMTS network, the operational challenges related to optimising the service availability is greatly eased.

In addition to the overwhelming suite of features one key focus area of MasterQuest 5.0 has been cost and total cost of ownership. Key to obtaining both these goals has been the support of Linux-based operating systems as well as refinement of major software components. A distributed platform with a pay-as-you-grow architecture combined with high density probes makes even the most demanding systems affordable.

"These latest additions to the MasterQuest solution extend the breadth of the portfolio even further, which now includes additional end-customer and service-centric applications ," says Jørgen Weber, head of the Systems Business Unit of NetTest. "Following the recent Frost and Sullivan award win, MasterQuest is now poised to become even stronger in the market and can offer wireless service providers even better value. The usability of the solution and portal has been developed even further, so the user interface is now even more powerful."

Over the past year, NetTest increased its MasterQuest customer base significantly by signing contracts with 17 new wireless operator customers in 13 countries. Some of its UMTS customers include H3G in Italy, a Tier One North American operator, a Europe-based Tier One and global operator, and a leading operator in the Middle East.