GPS conformance testing

has announced a comprehensive test capability designed to address the rapidly emerging development and conformance test requirements of Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) location-based services for mobile phones.

Aimed at reducing time to market and the need for costly field trials by testing A-GPS implementation in the laboratory, the new test capability includes systems for all the major cellular technologies-GSM (2G), GPRS/EDGE (2.5G), UMTS (3G) and CDMA (CDMA2000 to 1x-EVDO).

The Aeroflex A-GPS location-based test systems are said to provide a single solution for both the verification of signalling protocols and RF performance testing of A-GPS mobile devices.

"The requirement for robust and comprehensive location-based conformance test systems is fast becoming a worldwide phenomenon," said Paul Argent, Aeroflex's product manager responsible for location-based services. "This development was initially driven by the needs of the emergency services for which the FCC has set aggressive timescales for the mandatory support of accurate location-based services by the end of 2005. We fully expect the requirement to take on a wider dimension as network operators worldwide look to generate revenue streams from highly accurate, commercially-oriented location-based services that A-GPS will be able to deliver."