The 7100 LTE (Long-Term Evolution) Digital Radio Test Set from Aeroflex now offers an option that supports CDMA-based data standards such as Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) and evolved High Rate Packet Data (eHRPD) as well as LTE-eHRPD handover (see the figure).

As CDMA network operators migrate toward LTE, the devices used by their subscribers will need to operate with both the legacy EV-DO sectors of the network and with those that have been upgraded to LTE. These devices also will need to be able to hand over seamlessly between these sectors.

Aeroflex developed Option 104 for the 7100 tester to enable the testing of these multi-mode devices across all of the standards they are required to support. The option also enables designers to test the hand-over between LTE and eHRPD. Further, it provides test capabilities for EV-DO Release 0, EV-DO Revision A, and eHRPD, which is an important stepping stone in a CDMA and LTE network rollout.

Deployed terminal devices will need to support all of these legacy standards, and they could be required to operate in any one of the revisions of the CDMA standard. By supporting all of these standards in a single box, the 7100 provides manufacturers of both cellular terminals and chipsets with a unified test environment to fully test all of the remote access terminals (RATs) supported by the device under test.

Applications such as throughput for EV-DO Release 0, Rev A, and eHRPD can be tested with just a simple parameter reconfiguration of the 7100 without any need to change test platforms. The test system also supports multi-RAT handoff scenarios, such as eHRPD to LTE hand-down and system selection/re-selection testing to verify correct device provisioning.

eHRPD is an extension of existing HRPD or EV-DO networks that lets operators introduce LTE architecture elements into their existing EV-DO networks. It enhances traditional HRPD to enable feature-rich applications such as Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) and always-on IPv6 devices, as well as future seamless IP mobility with LTE.

The eHRPD standard is a necessary upgrade for CDMA networks migrating from 3GPP2 CDMA-based technologies to LTE. With Option 104, the 7100 supports the testing of a number of eHRPD features:

• eHRPD/E-UTRAN handoffs
• Data calls for HRPD (Rel 0/Rev A) and eHRPD
• Multi-Flow Packet Application (MFPA) and Enhanced Multi-Flow Packet Application (EMFPA)
• Vendor-Specific Network Protocol (VSNP) and Vendor-Specific Network Control Protocol (VSNCP) negotiations
• Challenge-handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) and Extensible Authentication Protocol Method-Authentication and Key Agreement (EAP-AKA)
• Multiple Access Point Name/Packet Data Networks (APN/PDN)
• IPv4 and IPv6 data flows
• Quality-of-service (QoS) establishment
• Short Message Service (SMS) over IMS-related (IP Multimedia Subsystem) applications on eHRPD sessions
• VoIP over IMS call-related applications on eHRPD sessions

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