Mobile Device Test System Helps Operators Asses...

CRAWLEY, England, February 6 /PRNewswire/ --

    - Spirent 8100 Test System is Industry's First Solution to Focus on UMTS
Call Reliability Performance



    In response to the ongoing and critical issue of high mobile device
return rates, resulting from subscribers' limited tolerance of problems such
as incomplete or dropped calls, interrupted data downloads and device
lock-ups, Spirent Communications plc (LSE: SPT), has introduced a new UMTS
Call Reliability Module for its 8100 Mobile Device Test System. Spirent, an
enabler of next generation networks and services, is the first company in the
industry to provide mobile operators with comprehensive call reliability
performance testing capability for UMTS devices under real-world conditions.



    While the majority of commercially-available mobile devices are certified
using established standards-based conformance tests, operators' experience of
call performance issues suggest that these tests alone are no longer
sufficient. The sheer complexity of current 3G network specifications and
applications renders conformance testing as an unreliable predictor of how
well a mobile device will perform under the full range of network conditions.
Furthermore, conformance testing does not focus on key performance indicators
(KPIs) that impact the quality of user experience.



    "To ensure high subscriber satisfaction levels and reduce device return
costs, network operators are increasingly keen to anticipate call reliability
issues before mobile devices are commercially deployed," said Hesham
ElHamahmy, senior director of business development at Spirent. "The
traditional approach of extensive field trials is time-consuming and
expensive. Spirent's 8100 UMTS Call Reliability module is the first solution
to focus on identification and diagnosis of these key performance issues.
Using the Spirent 8100 test system, real-world mobile behaviour under a wide
range of handover and cell selection/reselection scenarios can now be
established in the lab."



    With accurate and repeatable emulation of real 3G network conditions,
Spirent's new 8100 UMTS Call Reliability module helps capture the actual
end-user experience. Developed with input from leading operators, it uses
KPIs such as call drop rate, call setup failure rate during mobility and
Inter-RAT (Radio Access Technology) handover scenarios to help operators make
better device choices. These KPIs can be used to help reduce poor subscriber
experiences, to save on costs associated with device returns and to control
churn. The Spirent 8100 test system can also effectively benchmark device
performance before commercial deployment. The system's automated collection
and analysis of call data yield key metrics that can impact the end-user
experience, helping to ensure device performance and subscriber satisfaction.



    Built on a more than a decade of Spirent experience in test automation
and system integration experience, the Spirent 8100 test system is an open,
scalable, multi-purpose test system which addresses a range of high-value
mobile device test needs such as data throughput, location and call
reliability. It makes use of proven Spirent components, including an SR3420
multi-cell, multi-RAT, multi-RAB (Radio Access Bearer) Network Emulator with
network-grade protocol stacks and a market-leading SR5500 Wireless Channel
Emulator to emulate real-world channel conditions.



About Spirent Communications plc

    Spirent Communications (http://www.spirentcom.com) is a global provider
of integrated performance analysis and service assurance systems that enable
the development and deployment of next-generation networking technology such
as Internet telephony, broadband services, 3G wireless, global navigation
satellite systems, and network security equipment. Spirent Communications'
solutions are used by more than 1,700 customers in 30 countries, including
the world's largest equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprises
and governments. Based in Sunnyvale, CA, Spirent Communications has 1,500
employees worldwide.



    Spirent Communications plc Ordinary shares are traded on the London Stock
Exchange (ticker: SPT). The Company operates a Level 1 American Depositary
Receipt ("ADR") programme with each ADR representing four Spirent
Communications plc Ordinary shares. The ADRs trade in the US over-the-counter
("OTC") market under the symbol SPMYY and the CUSIP number is 84856M209.
Spirent Communications' sales to the United States government are made
through Spirent Federal Systems Inc. http://www.spirentfederal.com



    Spirent, Spirent Communications and the Spirent logo are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Spirent Communications plc. All other trademarks or
registered trademarks mentioned herein are held by their respective
companies. All rights reserved.



    This document may contain forward-looking statements which are made in
good faith and are based on current expectations or beliefs, as well as
assumptions about future events. You can sometimes, but not always, identify
these statements by the use of a date in the future or such words as "will",
"anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "project", "intend", "plan", "should",
"may", "assume" and other similar words. By their nature, forward-looking
statements are inherently predictive and speculative and involve risk and
uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that
will occur in the future. You should not place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance
and are subject to factors that could cause our actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained
in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.