Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced new 1xEV-DO Release B test functionality for its 8960 Wireless Communications Test Set running 1xEV-DO Lab and Test Applications . Agilent's 1xEV-DO Release B is designed to help mobile operators improve capacity, throughput and latency on their existing 1xEV-DO networks, resulting in a higher quality of experience for data subscribers. This new test solution gives engineers developing multicarrier capable, Release B access terminals early test capability to design high-quality multicarrier performance.
Agilent's 1xEV-DO Release B enhancement supports the new Subtype 3 Physical Layer which, in turn, supports multicarrier operation and all related Release B protocol messages. The new Release B enhancement allows up to three test sets to be synchronized and connected to support up to three carriers. These carriers are tested in the multicarrier mode of operation as defined in the Release B standard. The standard specifies this mode as the Multi-Carrier Test Application Protocol. FMCTAP and RMCTAP are protocols associated with the Multi-Carrier Test Application and are used for, among other things, conducting tests on forward and reverse traffic channels, respectively. Additionally, a single-carrier Release B call can now be established using just one instrument.
Agilent's Release B enhancement to its 8960 test set also allows manufacturing test engineers to test multicarrier performance. This capability makes the 8960 the first one-box test set to support both 1xEV-DO Release B for manufacturing and 1xEV-DO Release B RF test for R&D.
"Producing market-leading 1xEV-DO Release B mobile devices requires early access to multicarrier test solutions," said Niels Faché, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Mobile Broadband Division. "Our Release B test solutions for the new Subtype 3 Physical Layer provide early test tools to help engineers accelerate the design and manufacture of high-quality devices to meet 1xEV-DO market windows."
The Agilent E1966A/E6706B Test and Lab Applications work with Agilent's 8960 Wireless Communications Test Set to create a cost-effective, benchtop test solution for real-world network emulation and data throughput analysis. The E1966A 1xEV-DO Test Application for the 8960 is the first one-box test set to support 1xEV-DO Release A ETAP. The E6706B 1xEV-DO Lab Application for the 8960 allows developers to set up packet data connection for Release A testing at the IP layer of a mobile device.
