3G Testing

Mobile terminals require global interoperability and roaming within 2G and 3G networks. Through practical experience 3GPP has decided that the most efficient and cost-effective way (indeed, the only manageable way) to reach this goal is to create a certification system for mobile terminals.

A certified mobile is tested to an agreed and continuously updated set of test cases. All test cases are developed, maintained and delivered by 3GPP^TM and validated by a certification agreement group, such as the Global Certification Forum (GCF) or the Personal Communication System Type Certification Review Board (PTCRB). The agreement group has the responsibility to ensure that each test case is performed on a range of commercially-available test equipment, providing compatibility between test facilities - whether in-house or third party.

The mobile test industry has chosen ETSI's Centre for Testing and Interoperability (CTI) to develop and provide the continuously updated 3GPP^TM test suites. 3GPP^TM participants have committed themselves to this for the long term and maintain a budget of about 90 man-months per year for this task. Two thirds of the budget is provided through 3GPP^TM funding, the remaining one third being provided by the individual 3GPP^TM companies as a voluntary contribution, free-of-charge.  The funding supports a Specialist Task Force (STF) on a continuous basis. The STF is responsible for both Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) technologies. 14 experts are working in the team, led and managed by ETSI's CTI. To date, the task force has developed 13 test suites containing 650 test cases for FDD and another 450 for TDD. These test suites are maintained and delivered every three weeks and are deployed by GCF, PTCRB and the TD-SCDMA Industry Alliance (TDIA) for the mobile terminal certifications.

The ETSI/3GPP^TM experience has been that this level of conformance testing guarantees interoperability of terminals over the radio interface.