MultiService Forum Plans LTE/SAE Interoperability Event for March 2010

The MultiService Forum is planning a major LTE/SAE (Long Term Evolution / System Architecture Evolution) Interoperability Event for March 2010. Vodafone and China Mobile are the first to sign up for the event.


The MSF said the upcoming event will provide the most comprehensive test yet of the EPC (Evolved Packet Core) infrastructure. The event will be hosted by Vodafone's Test and Innovation Centre in Dusseldorf, Germany, as well as China Mobile's facilities in Beijing.


The EPC or SAE uses all-IP technology to reduce the current complexities of Serving and Gateway GPRS Support Nodes, allowing meshing between base stations, a flatter system architecture and significantly reduced latency. Combined with 3GPP's LTE access from mobile base stations it goes way beyond the latest HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) technology to deliver broadband at hundreds of Mbps. These levels will support such popular Internet applications as Voice over IP, video streaming, and music downloading, and will allow TV to migrate to the mobile network.


"We need to collaborate across the industry to build confidence that all aspects of next generation network technology will operate seamlessly in multi-vendor, multi-carrier practical implementations" says MSF president, Roger Ward. "While the LSTI (LTE/SAE Trial Initiative) forum is doing some invaluable pioneering tests, their main focus has been on access rather than the core. Our event will give operators the confidence that the Evolved Packet Core is a rock solid foundation on which to build tomorrow's telecommunications networks. As well as MSF members, the wider operator community and infrastructure and access equipment vendors will benefit enormously, as the tests will embrace extensive real-world roaming scenarios."http://www.msforum.org