Wireless Testing

2G and 3 G is a family of standards for mobile telecommunications defined by the International Telecommunication Union,which includes GSM EDGE, UMTS, and CDMA2000 as well as DECT and WiMAX. Services include wide-area wireless voice telephone, video calls, and wireless data, all in a mobile environment.

2G Stands for second generation mobile telephony standards, where 3G defined the third generation mobile telephony standards to facilitate growth, increase bandwidth, and support more diverse applications.For example, GSM (the current most popular cellular phone standard) could deliver not only voice, but also circuit-switched data at download rates up to 14.4 kbps. But to support mobile multimedia applications, 3G had to deliver packet-switched data with better spectral efficiency, at far greater bandwidths.

I just came across this url and could not help myself to comment on this. Your question looks little vague. I mean, are you talking about network level protocols or application level protocols. Or is it related to OBEX protocol implementation in Mobile Apps. Actually the same TCP/IP concepts go in mobile apps also, but when it comes down to browsing apps/downloading apps, it is generally done via WAP gateway (Not WAP Server which generally people confuse with). WAP is a standard defined to serve as a common platform as we cannot directly hook on from normal TCP/IP network to a mobile network. But it is definitely possible to call, SMS, sending mail from any browser to a mobile device, and vice versa. So how does this happen? Also are you talking about what happens at the server end, after the gateway or before that. Also, which carier network are you referring to GSM/CDMA. If I have sensed right it is "OBEX" you are referring to.

The quality of a wireless signal is measured with respect to thresholds of:

- BER (Bit Error Rate) which should be < 10^-6 or BLER (Block Error Rate)

- RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator)

- SWR (Standing Wave Ratio)

- SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) which is P/N

- SINR (Signal to Interferance and Noise Ratio) or P/(N+I)

- SINADR (Signal-to-Interference plus Noise And Distortion Ratio).. and many more.

These parameters are evaluated based on the technology or standard in use. For example, in WiFI or 802.11, the RSSI is used as the link quality parameter to be used. However, all of the above contribute in one way or the other to the quality of the wireless link as noise, interference, environmental characteristics, power, frequency used... contribute to the loss or gain in the link's quality.

SOME MOBILE PHONE TEST CASES

This is not an exhaustive list. As you see mobile phone testing is a rigorous process that can easily require numerous test cases.

START UP

1) Can fully charge battery

2) Inserting SIM is intuitive and fool-proof

3) Inserting battery is intuitive and fool-proof

4) Can power on the mobile phone

5) Power-on splash screen meets requirements (ex: format branding)

6) Set-up page asks if you want to set time and date

a) returning 'yes' allows you to complete set-up

b) returning 'no' skips set-up

7) Completing or skipping set-up goes to main page

MAIN PAGE

1) Text graphics format color scheme and branding meet requirements

2) Time and date are properly displayed on screen

3) Signal strength is properly displayed on screen

4) Battery level is properly displayed on screen

5) Left soft button text reads 'Call'

6) Right soft button text reads 'Menu'

7) Pressing left soft button displays Call Log

8) Pressing right soft button displays Applications Menus

9) Pressing left return button does nothing

10) Pressing right clear button does nothing

PLACING A CALL

1) Pressing a number key opens foreground window

2) Foreground window has proper dimensions and graphics

3) Selected number is displayed along bottom left of window

4) The text related to soft key changes from 'Calls' to 'Call'

5) Pressing additional numbers adds corresponding numbers from left to right

6) Pressing clear button deletes right-most number

7) Can clear entire entry

8) With numbers populated in the foreground window pressing back button

returns to main page

9) Enter a valid local phone number and place call

10) Enter a valid long distance number and place call

11) Place call when phone has weak signal (1 bar)

12) Attempt to place a call with no signal

13) Place call with low battery

14) Place call when battery runs out

OTHER TEST CASES TO CONSIDER

1) Receiving calls

a) during another call

b) during an IM session

c) while authoring an SMS

d) while reading and e-mail

e) while playing a game

f) while listening to a song

e) while taking a picture

2) Sending and receiving short messages (SMS) with and without attachments

3) Mobile e-mail

4) Mobile Instant Messaging

5) Mobile internet

6) Bluetooth interface

7) Camera

8) Themes

9) Ringtones

10) Battery life

11) Signal strength

12) No-signal conditions

Test cases can get quite complex. For example consider the steps required to verify that a Mobile IM session re-establishes itself after receiving no signal and going back to a good signal area. And we've just scratched the surface! It would likely take an entire day to produce all of the test cases needed to fully test a cell phone!