FLEET, England, June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Comprehensive Device Assessment in the Lab is Increasingly Needed for Mobile Network Operators to Meet User Expectations

As consumers worldwide have high expectations from their smartphones and tablets, mobile network operators need to enhance their product offering and minimise the possibility of launching poor quality devices. In a new whitepaper entitled "Even Better than the Real Thing", Anite, the global leader in device testing, argues that operators can gain competitive advantages by considering device testing and acceptance schemes based on solutions that simulate the device-network interoperability in the lab.

Dr Konstantinos Stavropoulos, IOT Product Manager, Anite and author of Even Better than the Real Thing comments: "With mobile devices becoming more complex and with the media spotlight on the industry, testing has gained in significance. Lab testing is the proactive approach to assess devices in a controllable and repeatable way, which is also immune to statistical uncertainty. Leading operators have gone beyond standard device conformance certification and opted for proprietary network simulation tests to check if a device will perform well in networks when launched. Such tests can help operators pre-empt situations that are likely to reoccur in the future, such as wrongly interpreting device issues as network problems. These tests can also identify problems associated with smartphone-induced signalling overload."

Network simulator solutions provide the flexibility to consider a variety of test scenarios with full control. These scenarios include roaming without the expense of country or region-specific drive testing. They also include 'What if' tests, which are difficult to run in live networks without affecting mobile users. With network simulators, test automation can be used and any captured or defined scenario can be 'replayed' in the lab at any time to identify with confidence why the device performance may have changed.

The White Paper emphasises the substantial commercial benefits of network simulation for operators. Due to automation and controllability, the OPEX and Total Cost of Ownership for testing devices in the lab are lower than with other approaches. Network simulation helps establish objective and well-functioning acceptance schemes for operators to gain the competitive advantage through a number of factors. These include increased test efficiency, better device quality, reduced costs due to user-identified issues and faster time-to-market.

Dr Stavropoulos adds, "Network simulation has been pivotal to the success of operator-driven device acceptance programmes. Compared with other approaches, it is a faster, more cost-effective and ultimately superior way to test mobile devices, which is why it is now also used to accelerate the introduction of LTE devices. Some people do not regard network simulation as the 'real thing'. However, there are substantial benefits, described in this white paper, that make device testing in the lab 'even better than the real thing'."

The White Paper is available to download now by clicking here.

About Anite

Anite provides a comprehensive range of critical IT solutions to the Wireless and Travel sectors across the globe. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Anite develops and implements software as well as provides consultancy, systems integration and managed services to ensure that our customers operate effectively and securely. By using the latest technologies to deliver quality and cost-effective solutions, Anite meets customers' specific requirements and realises tangible results for its clients.

Anite Telecoms offers rigorous yet simplified device testing, accelerating new devices to market. A global market leader, Anite has over 20 years of experience providing cutting-edge technology to device manufacturers, operators and test laboratories. Anite was the first company to verify LTE conformance test cases in 2009 and has consistently remained at the forefront of the handset testing industry.  Its highly flexible and reliable software solutions make Anite a key partner to the major Telecoms manufacturers and operators. With a diverse team focused on exceeding expectations, Anite draws upon worldwide expertise and is enthusiastic about the future of LTE.

Headquartered in the UK, Anite employs around 500 staff in 13 countries across Europe, America, Asia and the Middle East. For more information, please visit http://www.anite.com

For further information, please contact:
Anite Telecoms Ltd
Tel: +44(0)1252-775200
Email: wireless@anite.com

Editorial contacts:
Karolina Eklund
Tel: +44(0)1252-775245
Email: karolina.eklund@anite.com

SOURCE Anite Telecoms Ltd