Azimuth launches Wi-Fi voice tester

Azimuth Systems has announced the W-Series wireless LAN test platform, an automated benchmark test suite designed to help Wi-Fi network equipment vendors conduct performance, functionality, interoperability, conformance and certification testing.

The release of the new test suite comes not long after the Wi-Fi Alliance released its Wireless Multimedia (WMM) quality of service (QoS) certification, which is rooted in the emerging 802.11e standard.

The W-Series test suite is applicable to both infrastructure and handsets. Its first component, the VoWi-Fi Benchmark Test for Wireless VoIP Handset, validates the 802.11 behavior of the client handset during motion while roaming, and at different range. It analyzes this behavior relative to the voice quality as measured by both MOS and R-Factor. The tests can be run with and without background data traffic.

The second component, VoWLAN Benchmark Test for Wi-Fi Infrastructure, focuses on tests of the wireless access points. Using the Azimuth testMAC, the system emulates multiple voice calls in conjunction with best effort traffic, and studies the ability of the wireless LAN backbone to deliver QoS and protect the voice call integrity.

"Wireless voice requires consistent quality of service during motion and roaming," said Kevin Tolly, president and CEO of The Tolly Group, the independent testing lab that has been actively testing voice over wireless LAN technology since its emergence. "Validation of the interaction of quality of service and mobility is central to widespread deployment and customer satisfaction with the technology. Effective tests of the interaction of quality of service and mobility requires repeatability, automation and the ability to cause precise and repeatable motion during the test."

Fanny Mlinarsky, founder and CTO of Azimuth, added, "Mixed Wi-Fi and cellular networks, along with multimedia distribution, are the next emerging applications. It is critical for the industry to know that the technology exists to precisely validate mobility versus the quality of service in these media rich applications."

Designed from the ground up as an off-the-shelf, wireless LAN test platform, the W-Series platform provides the ability to configure an entire WLAN network in a bench-top chassis designed for complete radio frequency isolation and control.