Europe UK : Delivering complete support for W-CDMA A-GPS conformance testing, Aeroflex has announced that the Aeroflex 6401 AIME A-GPS is the only test platform available that supports the industry-standard TTCN A-GPS protocol test cases as well as the Minimum Performance tests and the OMA (Open Mobile Alliance) SUPL V1.0 (Secure User Plane Location) conformance tests, as mandated by the Global Certification Forum (GCF) and PTCRB handset certification bodies.

This complete W-CDMA A-GPS conformance test capability is available as an upgrade to the well established Aeroflex 6401 AIME/CT conformance test platform, currently in use in certification test labs around the world. The W-CDMA A-GPS signalling test cases supported by the Aeroflex 6401 are based on the common TTCN published by the 3GPP RAN5 working group. The RAN5 TTCN forms the reference implementation for W-CDMA signalling tests and has been reviewed and verified in the open forum provided by the 3GPP, generating a higher degree of traceability and stability when compared to proprietary implementations. As a result, a high level of confidence in the certification testing is rapidly achieved. The A-GPS signalling test cases are published in 3GPP TS 34.123.

The Aeroflex 6401 AIME A-GPS system also supports the Minimum Performance test cases found in 3GPP TS 34.171 in addition to the SUPL test cases published by the OMA. Collectively, these tests ensure that the behaviour of location aware terminals meets the standards.

“There is an increased level of interest in A-GPS, both in emergency call situations and commercial location and navigation services,” said Phil Medd, Product Manager for Aeroflex Test Solutions, Wireless Division. “Combining location information from the cellular network with GPS satellite signals improves the time to first fix, enhancing the user experience of location services.”

To complement this comprehensive, industry-standard A-GPS test capability, Aeroflex can supply network operator-specific test cases that check the Emergency Call location (E911) accuracy in simulated indoor signal conditions.  Furthermore, the Aeroflex 6401 AIME/CT offers general W-CDMA TTCN-based protocol testing (including HSDPA and HSUPA) making it a uniquely versatile platform.