Agilent wireless test solutions to reduce 3G deployment
Posted : 06 Jan 2003
eetasia.com
Agilent Technologies Inc. has introduced four wireless network solutions that are designed to improve productivity by reducing 2.5G/3G deployment and operational costs and enhance network quality of service (QoS).
The company offers a new basestation test set (E7495A), drive test (E7477A cdma2000), remote monitoring system, and the Wizard network planning and design tool.
Third-generation wireless (3G) is currently an important technology. However, "competition is driving down profits," said Jonnie Tupas, Agilent's business development manager for wireless network solutions. "Lowering both the operating and capital expenditures can improve the return of investments (ROI) and increase the average revenue per user (ARPU)," he emphasized.
Tupas said that Agilent's BTS tester performs more basestation measurements than any other test set. "Technicians used to bring several boxes to test - now only a single box is needed," he added.
The BTS tester also features a simple interface and accessible learning tools, which can lead to reduced training costs. Furthermore, tools such as over-the-air CDMA analyzer allow technicians to devote more of their time to proactive maintenance and service deployment.
Drive test
Another tool that can help reduce maintenance and deployment costs is the Agilent drive test, which measures basestation coverage, focusing on dropped calls and blocked calls. The combined phone- and receiver-based drive test helps pin down air-interface problems swiftly.
The drive test determines the source of the problem quickly while minimizing drive time. It also measures data QoS to ensure customer satisfaction and provides platform upgrade path. The Drive test is capable of GSM, GPRS, and UMTS analysis.
Taking cost-reduction further, Agilent's remote monitoring tool (also known as the air-interface remote monitoring system) can increase work efficiency by reducing unnecessary drive tests. Basically, it is an automated drive test and can be totally unmanned.
The monitoring tool collects RF performance data from remote probes to optimize the network. Tupas said that the tool can be utilized ingeniously, as it can be used on the bus or on a garbage truck.
All the above-mentioned tools aim to reduce operating, maintenance and deployment costs on existing networks. However, to be truly efficient, networks need to be optimized even before they are built. This is where the Wizard network planning and design tool comes in.
According to Tupas, the Wizard network planning and design tool is a software package used to plan your network, model basestations and estimate quality." The tool can compute integral variables such as the percentage of coverage area, call quality, and power needed by the network.
Moreover, time-to-market is reduced when using the planning tool and QoS issues are remedied even before deployment. It also solves capacity problems by accurately modeling 2.5G and 3G networks. |
