Agilent Technologies Inc. and Azimuth Systems have announced a partnership to create a complete fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) test solution. Offering full FMC testing between the WiFi network and the generic access network for both functionality and performance, this solution fills a critical gap in the market today, said the partners. The FMC test solution is expected to be commercially available in the second quarter and will combine Agilent's 8960 wireless communications test set with the Azimuth FMC performance test suite.

"A key feature of the FMC test solution from Agilent and Azimuth is that it will allow engineers to test the performance of hand-in, hand-out on both the cellular and WiFi networks, in an automated, repeatable manner in real-world conditions -- a capability never before available in one complete test solution," said Niels Faché, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Mobile Broadband Division. "This solution further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to ensuring today's engineers have the tools they need to advance the adoption of fixed-mobile convergence worldwide."

The Agilent 8960 wireless communications test set is a one-box test set for wireless device development, manufacturing and repair of all major 2G, 2.5G, 3G and 3.5G wireless technologies. It provides test solutions for mobile devices across the entire lifecycle on a single platform. The 8960's ability to test unlicensed mobile access/generic access network handsets, on this leading mobile test platform, makes it the industry's preferred solution for flexibility in testing multiple mobile technologies and converged mobile devices, according to Agilent.

The Azimuth FMC performance test suite includes a comprehensive suite of automated test scripts that streamline the testing of VoWiFi and fixed-mobile convergence products to validate the functionality, performance and seamless mobility of devices and networks. Currently used by industry-leading service providers, handset manufacturers and semiconductor vendors, this test suite provides a full range of unique, repeatable performance and interoperability tests on converged Wi-Fi/cellular devices over a broad range of real-world environment dynamics. It also measures Wi-Fi performance in areas that end-users care about most such as dropped calls, battery life and call quality.

"The combination of Azimuth's significant expertise in the WiFi market with Agilent's long-standing reputation of providing leading measurement solutions to the cellular market, presents tremendous benefits to both of our customers and the industry as a whole," said Peter Paglia, vice president of sales and business development at Azimuth Systems. "Our partnership is aimed at creating a much-needed solution for FMC testing -- one that we believe will dramatically accelerate the adoption of converged voice and data services worldwide."

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