Willtek's 4400 Mobile Phone Tester Series enables testing and alignment of EDGE phones and mobile data cards

Ismaning/Chessington/Indianapolis, 27 May, 2004 – Willtek boosted its ability to test EDGE-capable mobile devices by launching the 4468 EDGE System Option for its Willtek 4400 Mobile Phone Tester Series.  The new testing option will allow production and service centres to test and align the transmitters of new EDGE-capable mobile devices such as mobile phones and data cards. These new measurements are specifically important for the alignment of these latest devices, for example after component exchange. The 4400 with the EDGE System Option provides low test cost per mobile device for manufacturers and service centres. First customer shipments will be in July.

Willtek’s 4400 Series Mobile Phone Tester already has EDGE testing capabilities and its modulation spectrum measurements are being used by manufacturers to align the phone’s transmitter. The new system option now offers extended capabilities including the attach/detach process, and power and modulation quality measurements of 8-PSK signals. These are especially important as the transmitters of EDGE-enabled devices must support the more stringent modulation utilized by EDGE.  This requires individual testing and alignment in manufacturing and after repair, in particular for the EDGE power amplifier within the device.

EDGE transmitter alignment is due whenever a component in this circuit has been replaced. The alignment is typically run as part of the repair job; service centres also perform a final test to ensure the quality of the device before shipping it to the customer. Willtek engineers are currently working to add EDGE testing capabilities to their automated RAPID! test programs, which are being used for final test and incoming inspection.

The 4468 EDGE System Option supports the new power-time template and modulation measurements for EDGE, such as error vector magnitude, IQ origin offset and frequency error. Measurements are supported both in call and non-call mode; call mode testing includes call processing and is used in incoming and outgoing inspections while manufacturers require the non-call mode for the alignment.

Notes to editors

EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for the Global Evolution) offers GSM/GPRS network operators an evolutionary path to mobile data and multimedia services, increasing data throughput by a factor of three using an improved modulation scheme within the existing GSM/GPRS spectrum. Operators without a UMTS license can offer 3G-like speed for 3G applications from a 2G network, in some cases incurring only minor costs and minimal changes to an existing GSM/GPRS network. For those operators with a UMTS license, EDGE can be a cost-effective way of offering 3G-like speed with an existing 2G network in rural areas. In both cases, expenditure on 3G equipment is minimized because some existing 2G sites and 2G equipment can be used and upgraded to EDGE via software only. In the US, 3G frequencies have not even been licensed to operators and therefore higher data rates based on UMTS are still far away. For this reason EDGE is an alternative to GSM operators to offer higher data rates.

The Willtek 4403 Mobile Phone Tester is designed for service factories/depots and repair facilities that require high measurement speed and accuracy, both of which the 4403 provides in abundance.

The Willtek 4405 Mobile Phone Tester is designed to meet the exacting requirements of manufacturing, quality assurance and engineering. In all these areas, accuracy and speed are paramount, and both instruments provide exceptional values (excellent VSWR and accuracy: typically 0.15 dB power measurement accuracy).

EDGE (Enhanced Data for the Global Evolution) is an extension to the GSM standard, enabling higher data rates through the use of a new modulation format, namely 8-PSK which supports a threefold data rate over conventional GMSK. It is mainly used to boost capacity of GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) channels and supports new applications such as large-volume MMS and videotelephony.