Overview

When catastrophic events, disasters and other emergency scenarios occur we rely upon the services of the fire and rescue authorities in collaboration with police and ambulance services – or Blue Light services.

In these situations, the Blue Light services need to communicate by using Mission Critical voice and data communication.

Mission Critical Push to Talk (MCPTT) and Public Safety (PS) communication devices now incorporate the latest 3GPP LTE technologies to offer a broader spectrum of services to First Responders, based upon higher volume, backhaul bandwidth transmissions which may include image, video and HD voice transmitted over 4G LTE networks.

Whilst the market awaits definitive 4G LTE Mission Critical testing specifications IoTAS can offer MC and PS communication device manufacturers, whose devices utilise 3GPP Radio Access Networks, product testing to an agreed standard and level of certification, based upon the latest guidelines, test methodologies and, where appropriate, test equipment.

How are IoTAS involved in the development of Mission Critical test cases and how can we support your testing requirements?

Mission Critical Testing

• We can perform Mission Critical testing against the 3GPP TS.11 Annex N Detailed Test Procedures for Mission Critical services.
• Due to our increasing involvement in the Public Safety wireless equipment marketplace, we have recently extended our UKAS Accreditation scope to cover Mission Critical testing.
• Our UKAS Accreditation at IoTAS Testing Laboratory No. 7619 now covers MCX test cases.

GCF and TCCA

• IoTAS are actively involved with the GCF and TCCA group who are responsible for generating Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT), Mission Critical Data (MCDATA) and Mission Critical Video (MCVIDEO) field test cases.
• To ensure these scenarios are executable on the live network IoTAS performed validation testing against the GSMA TS.11 version 42.0 Annex N scenarios.
• This experience has helped to identify what can and cannot be observed within the trace logs as well as highlighting what can be validated via the device MMI.

GCF

• We are in a position to support your Global Certification Forum (GCF) needs to the existing requirements and we will be able to support MCS certification once it becomes available.

British APCO (BAPCO)

Launched in June 1993 as the British Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, British APCO, also known as BAPCO, is now acknowledged as the leading UK based Association for all professionals using or developing Public Safety technology. IoTAS are currently Bronze Corporate Members.

To begin discussions on how IoTAS can give you the confidence your 4G LTE MCPTT and PS devices will perform across Live Networks please contact us today.

GCF-TCCA Joint Task Force

With the increasing strength of the critical broadband market, there is a need for a formal interoperability testing and certification process to ensure compliance to standards and give end users a seamless service which does not tie them in to one provider. 

In a major step forward, the Global Certification Forum (GCF) and TCCA have announced a joint taskforce, that will move certification forward for Mission Critical Push to Talk (MCPTT), Mission Critical Data (MCData) and Mission Critical Video (MCVideo) implementations, collectively known as MCX or MCS (Mission Critical Services). 

As a contributing member, who specialises in field testing, IoTAS help to ensure each scenario meets the requirements outlined by the GSMA.

During the initial phase the team developed 22 test cases which have been released in the GSMA TS.11 Annex N, covering Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT) and Mission Critical Data (MCDATA) scenarios.

IoTAS have actively reviewed and validated these scenarios to ensure all criteria can be met and to understand the practicality of completing these scenarios on a live network.

In the next phase of test case development we will be focusing on Mission Critical Data (MCDATA) and Mission Critical Video (MCVIDEO).

For more information of the GCF-TCCA Joint Task Force please follow this link