Spirent Communications Introduces New Test Applications for Content-Based Billing, AAA Servers and Mobile IP Networks

Business Wire, March 14, 2005

NEW ORLEANS -- Spirent Landslide 2500 Validates Network Performance Through Unmatched Carrier-Class Capacity and Real-World Traffic Emulation

Spirent Communications(TM) (NYSE:SPM)(LSE:SPT) today announced the expansion of its carrier-class Landslide 2500 Wireless Infrastructure Test System. Landslide Release 2.0 provides industry-first performance and capacity assessment for 3GPP and 3GPP2 AAA servers, Mobile IP networks and Content-based billing systems. These new applications build upon the Landslide 2500's leading test applications to benchmark GPRS and CDMA2000 wireless networks.

"The emergence of wireless data technologies and standards requires comprehensive testing to ensure proper operation of packet data networks infrastructure," said Lee Rosenbaum, senior director of the wireless business unit at UTStarcom. "Spirent's Landslide CDMA Performance Test System gives UTStarcom flexibility in testing capabilities throughout the product development cycle and roll-out of next-generation packet services. By integrating network analysis and complex performance measurements, Spirent's solution supports a broad range of industry standards and test methodology."

Many of the world's leading wireless network operators and technology vendors currently use Spirent's Landslide 2500 to facilitate 2.5 and 3G network deployment. Equipment manufacturers using Spirent's Landslide 2500 can test the full range of wireless packet network functions and validate their performance before and after deployment. Network operators employ Spirent's Landslide 2500 to evaluate and compare the capacity and performance of GPRS and CDMA2000 equipment from multiple equipment manufacturers, as well as to re-evaluate deployed equipment as their wireless networks evolve to support next-generation technologies.

Spirent's Landslide 2500 Release 2.0 enables more accurate emulation of real-world traffic on CDMA2000, GPRS, Mobile IP and AAA networks and devices. It is the only test tool that can model millions of mobile nodes in the core packet network, as well as validate the full range of control signaling and user traffic to GPRS Gateway Service Nodes (GGSN) and Packet Data Serving Nodes (PDSN). This includes subscriber authentication performance through AAA server tests or server emulation as well as unprecedented real-world data traffic emulation, through comprehensive emulation of wireless applications, including WAP 1.2 and 2.0, RTP, MMS, Wireless Village, and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

"Our Landslide 2500 provides network operators and manufacturers with a complete platform to simulate every real-world stress on their next-generation infrastructures prior to deployment," said Joe Zeto, director of product marketing for wireless infrastructure, Spirent Communications. "Capacity assessment testing and customizable traffic emulation capabilities make this platform indispensable to wireless equipment vendors and service providers."

Detailed features of Spirent's Landslide 2.0 include:

--Comprehensive application support for content-based billing testing. Supported application types include: HTTP, WAP 1.2 and 2.0, RTP, MMS and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Wireless Village.

--Performance benchmarking and base lining of 3GPP and 3GPP2 AAA servers.

--Support for MobileIP v4 and MobileIP v6 to measure the performance and scalability of network elements running Mobile IP.

--Automation tools that configure tests to run over time and customized traffic variation scenarios.

--Data Flow Editor that simulates anomalies, such as invalid or out of order message sequences.

Spirent's wireless test solutions aid in all phases of mobile device and wireless network development and deployment for the world's manufacturers and mobile network operators. Spirent's extensive experience in wireless protocols has led to it being considered the "one-stop-shop" for CDMA handset performance and certification testing. Spirent has leveraged its success in mobile performance and certification testing to bring comprehensive performance analysis to the W-CDMA market. The company's wireless core infrastructure GPRS and CDMA performance test systems help service providers identify performance ceilings, enable vendor selections, and plan network capacity prior to deployment, to facilitate smooth service delivery.

Spirent has helped accelerate wireless service delivery by introducing the first and only solutions to test CDMA, WCDMA and GSM location-capable mobile devices. These systems play a critical role in assisting the validation of emergency services such as the U.S. FCC E911, and in facilitating the roll-out of commercial location-based services.

About Spirent Communications

Spirent Communications (www.spirentcom.com) is a global provider of integrated performance analysis and service assurance systems that enable the development and deployment of next-generation networking technology such as Internet Telephony, broadband services, 3G wireless, global navigation satellite systems and network security equipment. Spirent's solutions are used by more than 1,500 customers in 30 countries, including the world's largest equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprises and governments. Based in Rockville, Md., Spirent Communications reported 2004 revenue of $460 million and has 1,700 employees worldwide. The company is the largest business group of Spirent plc, traded on the London and New York Stock Exchanges (LSE:SPT)(NYSE:SPM)(CUSIP number: 84856M209). www.spirent.com. Spirent Communications' sales to the United States government are made through Spirent Federal Systems. www.spirentfederal.com