Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/12836-industry-s-first-one-box-benchtop-uma-gan-test-solution-for-wireless-communications

Industry's First One-Box, Benchtop UMA/GAN Test Solution for Wireless Communications

February 15, 2007
BARCELONA, Spain, 3GSM, Booth D45, Feb. 12, 2007 -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that at 3GSM it will demonstrate a new test capability for Unlicensed Mobile Access/Generic Access Network (UMA/GAN) that features breakthrough pricing and exceptional ease-of-use. This industry-first one-box benchtop UMA/GAN test solution will initially be available via subscription release to Agilent 8960 Wireless Communications Test Set customers with E6720A annual contracts. UMA specifications are intended to extend mobile voice and data services over fixed WLAN. These services are available to mobile users via dual-mode and UMA-enabled handsets. Consumer acceptance of this new generation of handsets depends heavily on their ability to seamlessly transition between cellular and WLAN networks during calls, while using services such as SMS/MMS, Web browsing and in idle mode. Protocol developers and integration engineers, therefore, require an easy-to-use, comprehensive solution for testing the functional aspects of UMA/GAN, as well as to ascertain whether handovers occur at the correct parametric conditions and that all services are correctly managed throughout the transition. Previously, to perform these tests, engineers would have been required to use a substantially more costly conformance test system. With Agilent's one-box tester, all testing takes place on a bench rather than getting access to a system rack. Engineers simply connect the equipment and begin testing. "Today's engineers require cost-effective, easy-to-use measurement solutions that provide broad test coverage for stress test, validation and regression testing across RF, protocol and software," said Earl Thompson, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Wireless Division. "Agilent's subscription release of the UMA/GAN capability reiterates our continued commitment to deliver cost effective, innovative and value-added solutions to manufacturing and R&D activities worldwide in support of new and emerging communication technologies like UMA."