11

Delivering a “Test Once, Use Anywhere”

Certification Scheme for LTE DevicesCertification Scheme for LTE DevicesLTE World Summit, Amsterdam, 18 May 2010

Adriana Nugter

GCF Operations Manager

Unrestricted – Non Confidential InformationThis is document is subject to copyright protection

©GCF 2010 2

Global Certification Forum – Why?

• The industry’s de-facto certification scheme

– Includes conformance, interoperability and field testing

• Delivers tangible value to all industry stakeholders

– Increases assurance that terminals will perform correctly

GCF Certification = tested once, accepted by all

Te

sti

ng

co

st

– Increases assurance that terminals will perform correctly

on networks

– Saves costs on operators’ internal testing & field trials

• One operator quotes costs of €50k-€200k per handset

– Enables manufacturers to offer handsets to mulitple

markets so improving economies of scale

• Mature, stable regime but capable of evolving

GSM GPRS 3G HSPA LTE

Testing time

Te

sti

ng

co

st

©GCF 2010 3

How does GCF work?

3

• Definition

– Process initiated by a formal proposal from member(s)

• confirms real market need

– Step 1: Industry (3GPP, OMA etc) develops test specifications

– Step 2: GCF selects and prioritises tests to be executed

– Step 3: Test industry develops the test platforms/test tools and implements

the test casesthe test cases

– Step 4: GCF validates test cases (via test houses)

• Implementation

– Manufacturers perform agreed tests and certify through a GCF Declaration

Keywords

• PRIORITISATION, VALIDATION AND CERTIFICATION

GCF focuses the efforts of operators,

manufacturers and members of the test industry

who are committed to global inter-operability

Above reflects GCF process for conformance testing;

a similar process exists for field trials

©GCF 2010 4

Membership structure for 2010

• Manufacturer Members (~50)

• Observer Members (~70)

• Operator Members – Full & Associate (>100)

– Strong commitments from operators representing key markets:

AT&T, China Mobile, Jasper Wireless, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, SFR, Telecom Italia, AT&T, China Mobile, Jasper Wireless, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, SFR, Telecom Italia,

Telefonica, TeliaSonera, Verizon Communications, Vodafone

©GCF 2010 5

Important market trends

• Mobile broadband becoming a native capability in:

– Laptops/Netbooks/Smartbooks/Tablets

– E-Readers

– M2M/industrial/commercial devices

– Connected consumer devices

• Mobile broadband increasingly being integrated on device motherboards

• In 2009, 20% of devices certified through GCF were NOT “traditional” handsets

Certification is highly applicable to all 3GPP-connected devices

Handsets 297 80%

Data Connectivity Products

• USB modem

• Data card

• Mobile gateway / hotspot

57 15%

Embedded platforms / products

• Embedded modules

• Netbook / Notebook PCs

20 5%

Total Devices Certified in 2009 374 100%

©GCF 2010 6

Future certification frameworks

Key objective for 2010

• Provide framework for certification of all devices with

embedded 3GPP connectivity

– Actively reviewing certification issues for different classes of “non-

traditional” devices in order to streamline processestraditional” devices in order to streamline processes

– 1st deliverable: rationalised laptop certification process

– Developing relationships with automotive, ticket & metering and

health sectors

Though the certification of 3GPP-connected devices, GCF can

help operators and manufacturers develop new markets

©GCF 2010 7

Performance Data Packages

• Conceived as optional complement to GCF Certification

• Allows manufacturers to provide qualitative data in response to operator needs

– on agreed performance criteria

– using standardised methodology

• Battery life measurement & Acoustics now in place • Battery life measurement & Acoustics now in place

– available for use by operators and manufacturers

• Future metrics will be driven by operator demand

©GCF 2010 88

LTE device certification – GCF targets

• Certification of LTE devices to be available from Q4 2010

– To include Conformance, Interoperability & Field Testing

– Target consistent with general NGMN requirement

• Initial work priorities – requested by GCF members & agreed collectively

– 3x FDD bands

• 13 / 700 MHz (USA)

– 2x TDD bands

• 38 / 2570-2620 MHz (China)

• Flexibility

– Scheme deliberately structured to accommodate proliferation of LTE bands –as driven by the needs of markets worldwide

• FDD Band 3 / 1800 MHz added in April 2010. Availability expected in 2010

• FDD band 20 / 800 MHz (European digital dividend) to be fast-tracked once standardised for mobile by 3GPP

GCF ready to transform members’

aspirations into reality

• 13 / 700 MHz (USA)

• 1 / 2100 MHz (Japan)

• 7 / 2600 MHz (Europe)

• 38 / 2570-2620 MHz (China)

• 40 / 2300-2400 MHz (China)

©GCF 2010 999

LTE Work Item Structure

• Work items defined for:

– RF

– E-UTRA

– EPC

• 4 priority groups identified for signalling tests

– First Certifications will be based on priority groups 1 & 2

for both FDD and TDD

lists are currently

99% stable• 2 priority groups identified for RF tests

• Individual work items covering each selected E-UTRA band

– organised so that delays in any one band will not delay other bands

• DOCOMO and China Mobile are heading up the FDD & TDD effort respectively

• Excellent support is being provided by rapporteurs from Ericsson, Samsung, NEC, Nokia,

Qualcomm, Motorola & TeliaSonera.

99% stable

©GCF 2010 101010

LTE Certification: Working Assumptions

• Stable core specifications from 3GPP

• Readiness of test specifications (mainly from 3GPP RAN5)

• Availability of LTE Reference Terminals for test verification

• Adequate investment by test industry in development of test

implementations and platforms

– LTE test platforms have been presented to GCF by: Agilent, Anite, – LTE test platforms have been presented to GCF by: Agilent, Anite,

Anritsu, AT-4 Wireless, Cetecom, Innowireless, Rohde & Schwarz,

Setcom Wireless Products, w2bi

• Ongoing feedback on operators’ expectations in terms of service/feature

requirements and timelines

– Apart from “first movers”, significant wave of commercial LTE networks &

devices anticipated towards end 2010

Assumptions are under continuous review

to ensure effort matches reality

©GCF 2010 1111

LTE Conformance Testing - Status

• Around 210 Protocol and 90 RF test cases needed for early certification

– 9 RF test cases validated

– 97 protocol test cases validated

– Further validations expected at July & October meetings

– USIM / LTE interworking test cases recently added

• GCF moved baseline to Dec 09 to reflect updates to Rel 8 related to SMS and Security

– No impact for LTE-only networks

Momentum building

– Accommodates SMS over LTE and security of WCDMA � LTE handover

– Taking flexible approach to early validation work (using pre-Dec 09 devices) to avoid

obstructing validation process

– Baseline change now endorsed by 3GPP RAN5 (responsible for TC specifications)

• NB: ongoing close co-operation between GCF and RAN5

• Band-independent approach employed

– Facilitated rapid response to changing needs of specific markets

– RAN5 is expanding test specs in response to GCF requests

©GCF 2010 12

Status of TC validations after April CAG meeting

• FDD Band 1 (Japan):

RF: ~15% validated

RRM: awaiting start of RRM validations

Protocol: awaiting start of Band 1 protocol validations

• FDD Band 7 (Europe):

RF: ~13% validated

RRM: awaiting start of RRM validations

Protocol: ~48% validated Protocol: ~48% validated

• FDD Band 13 (USA):

RF: awaiting start of Band 13 RF validations

RRM: awaiting start of RRM validations

Protocol: ~23% validated

• Rate of validations is accelerating

–RF validations accepted from Anritsu, Rohde & Schwarz

–Protocol validations accepted from Anite, Innowireless, Rohde & Schwarz

• TDD Bands 38 & 40 (China) & FDD Band 3 (Europe):

TC validations expected from July mtg onwards

Certification can start when 80% of test cases

in each area are validated

©GCF 2010 1313

RAN5 LTE – TC readiness

SPEC CURRENT TOTAL

TEST CASES

100%

COMPLETE

At least 80%

COMPLETE

36.521-1 FDD TX

FDD RX

FDD Perf Req

FDD CQI/PMI

24

9

12

8

All

All

8 4 [> 90%]

All

Total 53 41 12

TDD TX 24 All

• 80% of agreed GCF Priority 1 (P1) signaling test cases verified – as of 6 April 2010

• Verification of the GCF Priority 2 (P2) test cases already underway

• Announcement regarding the next RAN5 P2 milestone expected in next 3 months.

TDD TX

TDD RX

TDD Perf Req

TDD CQI/PMI

24

9

13

8

All

All

All

4

Total 54 33 17

36.521-3 FDD RRM

TDD RRM

52

43

3

2

46

40

36.521-1 Signalling protocol (prose)

(applicable to FDD & TDD)

468 291† 34

56.523-3 Signalling protocol (TTCN)

P1 & P2

209 200

P1: 89, P2: 111

101 verified

P1: 77, P2: 24

†ie acceptable for TTCN development

©GCF 2010 1414

LTE Field Trials – Status

• Target: LTE FT requirements to be finalised by July 2010

• Test cases being developed in collaboration with GSMA Devices Group

• 136 individual LTE Trial Scenarios identified

– Detailed Work Plan agreed for each

– Rapporteurs identified for main sections

– Supporting companies confirmed

• Phase 1/Phase 2 prioritisation agreed for each Test Scenario

– Prioritisation will ensure timely availability of essential Field- & Lab Tests at launch of – Prioritisation will ensure timely availability of essential Field- & Lab Tests at launch of

certification

– 87 Trial Scenarios in Phase 1- 85 complete†

– 49 Trial Scenarios in Phase 2- 5 complete†

– Remaining Phase 1 test scenarios to be completed at FTAG#30 (June 2010)

• FT to become a certification requirement (for LTE-capable devices) in Q4 2010

– To coincide with introduction of LTE conformance testing

†Tests published in May update of GSMA DG.11 Field Trial Guidelines

©GCF 2010 151515

Conclusions

• GCF is confident in the robustness of the LTE Certification process in place

– Strong support & commitment from all key stakeholder groups

• RAN5

• Test industry

• Operators

• Manufacturers • Manufacturers

– Flexible work plan

• Accommodating evolving core standards

• Responding to market needs

• Growing momentum

– Impressive increase in LTE validations at April’s CAG meeting

– FDD Band 7 (Europe) in particular is progressing well

©GCF 2010 16

Thank you

adriana.nugter@globalcertificationforum.orgadriana.nugter@globalcertificationforum.org

For more information on certification and membership, visit

www.globalcertificationforum.org