2014-03-26, Anritsu Company announces it has developed the wireless industry’s first PTCRB-approved protocol test case for IMS Emergency Services. This critical test case is now available on the ME7834L Protocol Conformance Test (PCT) and Carrier Acceptance Test (CAT) system. Anritsu recently became the only supplier of approved test cases for this increasingly relevant technology during the PVG#64 meeting held in Beijing.

The IP Multimedia Subsystem or IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem (IMS) is an architectural framework for delivering IP multimedia services. It was originally designed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), as a part of the vision for evolving mobile networks beyond GSM. The initial formulation (3GPP Rel-5) represented an approach to delivering “Internet services” over GPRS, and was later updated by 3GPP, 3GPP2 and ETSI TISPAN to require support of networks other than GPRS, such as WLAN, CDMA2000 and fixed lines.

Test cases for emergency services over IMS have been identified by the PTCRB as part of ‘Request for Testing’ (RFT) 097 requirements. They are included in the growing set of test cases contributing to the PTCRB device certification requirements of carriers in the U.S. and globally. The GCF has defined similar requirements as part of Work Item (WI) 154.

Anritsu’s IMS Emergency Service test case support further adds to the robust test package capabilities of the ME7834L Protocol and Carrier Acceptance Test Platform. The Anritsu ME7834L also provides device certification solutions for VoLTE and SMS over IMS. As LTE network deployment increases, it is expected that IMS will become an important VoLTE service, as it provides a lower price point. It is critical that these services support emergency services for mass deployments.

“Anritsu continues to demonstrate its position as a market-leading conformance test provider. The approval of the IMS Emergency Services test case reinforces our commitment to provide test solutions that allow device manufacturers to bring leading-edge products to market with confidence. Our goal is to provide customers with the broadest test capabilities as defined by the GCF and PTCRB, as well as Carrier/Operator-specified test requirements,” said Wade Hulon, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Anritsu Company.

The ME7834L is a scalable GCF- and PTCRB-validated test system that enables certification of LTE devices to industry and carrier standards. Test coverage is available for 3GPP 36.523-1 (Protocol), as well as global operator-specified acceptance test package requirements. The ME7834L can also be configured as a customized integrated environment for InterRAT tests between LTE, GSM, W-CDMA, CDMA2000 and TD-SCDMA mobile systems.