Performance and protocol testing of User Equipment in 3G networks

As mobile services and applications are becoming more pervasive with the increasing adoption of 3G networks and devices, verifying the different quality attributes in all parts of the system is important. The 3G network specifications already address many properties such as security in network communication. However, focusing on the network alone is not enough. This paper describes a testing platform for 3G User Equipment (UE) that allows effective testing of UE devices and applications in a laboratory environment. By simulating parts of the network, the platform provides a realistic yet controlled environment for testing. Using this platform we have executed a number of tests on 3G UE's and applications. Based on our experiences we describe the specific challenges encountered in testing in a 3G network as opposed to testing in a more traditional environment such as a wired LAN.