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Racal Instruments Develops First Transmitter Measurement Test System for Chinese 3G Standard Ahead of Time

SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, UK, May 29, 2002 - The Wireless Solutions Group of Racal Instruments, working under its cooperation agreement with the Chinese Academy of Telecommunications Technology (CATT), has developed the first software system T-AIR, for measuring transmitter performance of 3G mobiles designed to meet the Chinese standard, TD-SCDMA. Ahead of schedule, this is the first in a series of planned products from Racal delivering previously unattainable measurement capabilities and giving manufacturers confidence in mobile performance. In allowing designs to be evaluated at a very early stage T-AIR has the potential to shorten the development cycle and help manufacturers produce more robust designs.

Stephen Hire of Racal Instruments commented, "It is important that Racal is a key player in the Chinese market which by 2004 will be the world's largest with potentially 250 million subscribers. The Chinese market currently has 40 licensed mobile manufacturers."

Zhang Dai-Jun, General manager of UE R&D Dept. of 3G standard development for CATT said, "Racal's test solution has been of great value to us in evaluating the performance of our TD-SCDMA UE transmitters. Using this solution we are able to perform measurements we had previously been unable to. This has been a great assistance in the development and proving of our 3G user equipment against the standards."

Until now engineers have been limited by digital spectrum analyser capabilities, which only provided raw I and Q data measurements. This made the analysis of a transmitter's performance exceptionally difficult, if not impossible. Recognising the need for better performance measurements Racal Instruments developed the T-AIR test solution.

T-Air software converts raw I and Q data into meaningful measurements that include error vector magnitude, code domain power and peak code domain error; all crucial in determining the robustness of a design. It is also able to display the transmit on/off power profile and constellation diagrams giving engineers additional useful data.

For more information please contact our Marcomms Manager.

Notes to editors

TD-SCDMA is one of three international competing 3G standards. The others being W-CDMA and CDMA2000. In June 2001 Racal Instruments signed a cooperation agreement with CATT. As part of this agreement, Racal Instruments has committed to support the field trials of the TD-SCDMA standard and to develop a range of test solutions covering applications for development, production, installation and commissioning.

Racal Instruments, with over 800 employees and sales of $120 million, designs, manufactures and sells electronic test and measurement equipment and systems to leading high-technology customers throughout the world. It has offices in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, India, PRC, Hong Kong and Korea with a sales and support network in over 80 countries. The Wireless Solutions Group designs and manufactures a range of test and measurement equipment for parametric and protocol testing of mobiles, base stations and networks in design, installation and repair. UMTS, cdmaOne, CMDA2000, TD-SCDMA, GSM, GPRS and EDGE technologies are all covered.

The Chinese Academy of Telecommunications Technology (CATT) with headquarters in Bejiing, provides services nationwide, and is ambitious globally. CATT is a large high-tech industry group providing services in the domestic and foreign telecoms market. It groups 1 Engineering & Designing Institute, 8 telecommunication research institutes and centers, 10 subsidiary companies (including joint ventures and wholly owned enterprises), and 1 listed company, which are respectively located in Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Chengdu. Altogether there are about 9000 employees.