Agilent Technologies' 3G Test System Accelerates Development of Infrastructure for 3G Wireless - Product Announcement

Cambridge Telcom Report, May 29, 2000

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) Monday introduced the industry's first test solution for Radio Access Networks (RAN), the ground-based infrastructure required for delivery of third-generation (3G) wireless communications services, including high-speed mobile access to the Internet. The Agilent 3G Test System (3GTS) is the first in a new family of Agilent products designed for testing protocol-based communication across the equipment, as well as ATM and IP network links, that make up the RAN.

"Many of the world's leading manufacturers already rely on Agilent for wireless equipment testing," said Bill Wood, general manager of Agilent's Advanced Networks Division. "With the growing push to bring 3G to market, they can now turn to Agilent for RAN testing and tap our expertise as the world's leading supplier of ATM test solutions."

Manufacturers and service providers are racing to develop 3G wireless systems to support the exploding demand for global, transparent wireless voice and data services. 3G systems will provide increased user capacity, mobile data transmission and Web access at rates of up to 2 Mb/s, and support for new multimedia wireless devices. To deliver these advances, however, the RAN must be able to manage a wide range of tasks for each 3G user, including access, roaming, transparent connection to the public switched telephone network and the Internet, and Quality of Service (QoS) management for data and Web connections.

The Agilent 3GTS allows 3G manufacturers to speed development of RAN software and equipment, such as base-station and radio-network controllers, and core network interfaces, by providing tools to evaluate the operation, performance and interoperability of their systems. The 3GTS accelerates this process further by enabling, for the first time, the testing of the multiple protocols used by the RAN on a single test system. Wireless service providers can also use the 3GTS for independent evaluation of vendor technologies and equipment to guide purchasing decisions.

Future 3GTS product releases are expected to support evolving 3G protocol standards (known as UMTS in Europe and W-CDMA in Japan) and performance testing for RAN systems.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The Agilent 3G Test System is available now. Pricing starts at $110,061. Additional information can be found on the Web at www.agilent.com/comms/3GTS.> Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is a diversified technology company, resulting from Hewlett-Packard Company's plan to strategically realign itself into two fully independent companies. With 42,000 employees serving customers in more than 120 countries, Agilent Technologies is a global leader in designing and manufacturing test, measurement and monitoring instruments, systems and solutions, and semiconductor and optical components. The company serves markets that include communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare. The businesses comprising Agilent, a subsidiary of HP, had net revenues of more than $8.3 billion in fiscal year 1999.

FMI: www.agilent.com.