Aeroflex TM500 Test Mobile is First With DC-HSDPA Support

Aeroflex has announced that its TM500 test mobile now supports the new 3GPP W-CDMA Release 8 Dual Cell HSDPA (DC-HSDPA) feature. The Aeroflex TM500 not only provides the ability to test a base station and network against a single mobile both in the lab and over the air, but also supports multi-UE configurations enabling base station and core network designs to be load tested, stressed and optimized to ensure that robust, flexible and high-performance solutions are delivered to network operators.

DC-HSDPA extends the resource utilization and spectrum efficiency of existing W-CDMA networks by providing an alternative method to HSPA+ to increase peak data rates in the downlink to a maximum 42Mbps. This is achieved by enabling handsets to take advantage of two adjacent 5MHz channels on the same Node B simultaneously to create 10MHz downlink bandwidth. Unlike HSPA+, DC-HSDPA delivers a peak data rate of 42Mbps without the need for MIMO spatial multiplexing and the associated, potentially costly, base station (Node B) hardware and antenna upgrades this can entail. As a result, DC-HSDPA facilitates improved network efficiency and load balancing through better resource allocation and frequency selectivity as well as delivering improved Quality of Service (QoS) for users in poor environments where MIMO is not necessarily an option.

"The Aeroflex TM500 is the first test mobile to support the new DC-HSDPA feature, reinforcing its market-leading position," said Tim Beard, HSPA+ product manager at Aeroflex Test Solutions. "With operators continually looking for ways to improve the performance and extend the life of their existing networks at minimal cost, we expect DC-HSDPA to be widely adopted. Support for DC-HSDPA on the TM500 provides operators with the early access to the test features they need."

Posted to the site on 29th June 2009