R&S finalizes assisted-GPS interoperability tests

Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) finalized a set of interoperability test cases for assisted-GPS (A-GPS) designed to be used with the company's R&S CRTU-W protocol tester. A-GPS is the mobile phone location capability that is part of the federally-mandated E911 systems implemented by wireless carriers in the United States.

A-GPS reduces the time required to determine the location of a mobile phone user by wireless carriers and emergency services. Compared to a standard GPS, A-GPS adds an assistance server to the GPA satellites and receivers that make up the system. The assistance server has intensive signal-processing capability and access to a reference network, which together with the other GPS components enables faster determination of a mobile phone's location.

The R&S CRTU-W is a complete HW/SW signaling and protocol test platform for UMTS-based 3G wireless equipment. The system executes test cases based on Third-Generation Partnership Project and GCF test specifications as well as carrier-specific test scenarios. It has two independent RF channels that enable two W-CDMA cells to be simultaneously simulated at different frequencies, which is essential when performing multiformat W-CDMA handovers, as well as those to GSM/GPRS systems.

- Emily Gleason
eeProductCenter