Anritsu Achieves the World’s First GCF Validations of both LTE RF and Protocol Conformance Tests

LTE (Long Term Evolution) is the next-generation wireless communications service supporting 100-Mbps downlink and 50-Mbps uplink data communications, which is 5 to 10 times faster than current 3G services. Leading carriers such as Verizon Wireless and NTT Docomo will roll-out LTE services later this year.

Mobile terminal manufacturers must gain GCF approval to prove that their LTE terminals satisfy the 3GPP standards, meaning that there is increasing demand for an approved conformance test environment.

At the GCF CAG#22 meeting this month Anritsu successfully gained GCF approval for the industry-leading 12 number of RF test cases for its ME7873L RF Conformance Test System together with additional test cases for its ME7832L Protocol Conformance Test System. Following this key GCF test case milestone, Anritsu Measurement Group President Mr. Kenji Tanaka said, “In the last year, there has been a rapidly growing trend towards actual applications and services using the key new technology called LTE. Anritsu is pleased to be able to play a major role in LTE conformance testing and helping to build a richer and more comfortable society.”

Anritsu has been the market-leading supplier of GCF-approved test cases for W-CDMA conformance tests since the start of 3G services. With the targeted October 2010 roll-out of LTE services, Anritsu is on track to deliver the required 80% of approved Priority 1 and 2 test cases, and is expecting to accelerate its number of both GCF and PTCRB approved test cases to assure the early success of high-quality LTE services.

GCF: Global Certification Forum
Organization determining basic validation test standards for network operations and mobile terminals to assure global interoperability between mobile systems GCF-approved measurement systems and measurement items guarantee that the test procedure and measurement accuracy match the conditions required for mobile terminal validation tests.

CAG: Conformance and Interoperability Agreement Group
Industry group affiliated with GCF, working to determine mobile terminal and network interoperability specifications and validation processes; meets in March each year to verify latest test case approvals

PTCRB: PCS Type Certification Review Board
Like GCF, organization determining basic validation test standards for network operations and mobile terminals to assure global interoperability between mobile systems, but—unlike GCF—also decides frequency bands used in N. America