Spirent “Send Us Your Device” Service Enables New Routes For Wi-Fi Equipment Testing

August 10, 2022

News

Spirent Communications plc, a provider of test and assurance solutions for next-generation devices and networks, launched a “Send Us Your Device” Test as a Service (TaaS) option for Wi-Fi customers.

The "Send Us Your Device" program, the first of its kind from a Wi-Fi testbed manufacturer, provides access to Spirent’s OCTOBOX emulation and testing solution for organizations without the resources required to own and manage complex test setups. 

As Wi-Fi developments progress into technologies such as WiFi 6 and 6E, developers and manufacturers too must adjust their approach to performance testing for new devices utilizing Wi-Fi. New business and application models are emerging in the face of such technologies, alongside the increasing mesh multi-point access networks and expectations for 5G and Wi-Fi convergence, all of which require new methods for testing.

“This new Spirent service addresses the needs of these businesses by providing instant access to advanced testing and failure analysis that will greatly reduce their time to market and increase quality of performance,” says Doug Roberts, general manager of Spirent’s Lifecycle Service Assurance business.

The service targets companies in need of Wi-Fi testing — such as chipset developers, and IoT consumer device and network equipment manufacturers — but lacking testing facilities that are capable of meeting the rigorous performance testing required by the industry. Spirent also anticipates the service assisting OCTOBOX owners and others with bandwidth overflow in existing facilities. 

Spirent's service is based at the same Massachusetts research facility where OCTOBOX testbeds are developed and manufactured, enabling smooth scaling up or down as customer need necessitates. The Spirent lab' test environments are engineered with optimized hardware to ensure device validation against the highest quality standards enterprises and carriers accept for deployment, such as TR-398 and RFC 2544.

“While many test facilities use software-based testbeds, these are unable to perform realistic test scenarios that model actual deployments,” said Roberts. “They often lack the ability to produce deterministic results which is essential for repeatability. By utilizing our OCTOBOX testbeds along with our automation framework, we emulate real world scenarios such as congestion, interference, distance, and movement – all of which affect the quality of the user experience.”  

For more information, visit http://www.spirent.com/products/wi-fi-testing-services.