Azimuth Introduces Industry's First Voice over WLAN Test.

ACTON, Mass. -- Full Suite of Benchmark Tests Validates Both VoWLAN Handsets and Wi-Fi Infrastructure for Application Robustness

Azimuth Systems, innovators in scalable, automated wireless network test systems, today announced a new benchmark test suite specifically designed for testing VoIP in the Wi-Fi environment. Azimuth's W-Series wireless LAN test platform is the leading system test solution for 802.11 network vendors, providing a reliable, scalable and automated test environment for performance, functionality, interoperability, conformance and certification testing.

"VoWLAN is the killer app. Wireless voice requires consistent Quality of Service (QoS) during motion and roaming. Validation of the interaction of QoS and mobility is central to widespread deployment and customer satisfaction with the technology," said Kevin Tolly, President/CEO of The Tolly Group, a leading lab in the data communications industry. The Tolly Group has been conducting VoIP testing since the early introduction of the technology. "Effective test of the interaction of QoS and mobility requires repeatability, automation and the ability to cause precise and repeatable motion during the test."

Azimuth's new test suite focuses on two key VoWLAN system components. The first component, the VoWi-Fi Benchmark Test for Wireless VoIP Handset, validates the 802.11 behavior of the client handset during motion - ranging and roaming - and analyzes this behavior relative to the voice quality as measured by both MOS and R-Factor. The tests can be run with and without background data traffic. The second component, VoWLAN Benchmark Test for Wi-Fi Infrastructure, focuses on test of the wireless access points. Using the Azimuth testMAC(TM), the system emulates multiple voice calls in conjunction with best effort traffic, and studies the ability of the wireless LAN backbone to deliver quality of service and protect the voice call integrity.

"VoIP and Wi-Fi are the mix of two enabling technologies that represent only the tip of the iceberg. If successful, the need for application validation in wireless environments will grow considerably," said Fanny Mlinarsky, Azimuth's founder and CTO. "Mixed Wi-Fi and cellular networks, along with multimedia distribution, are the next emerging applications. It is critical for the industry to know that the technology exists to precisely validate mobility versus the Quality of Service in these media rich applications."

The Wi-Fi Alliance recently released its QoS certification WMM, which is based on the 802.11e standard that enables interoperability of devices in the Wi-Fi network to deliver the QoS critical to VoIP. Azimuth's W-Series is an ideal environment to create the network conditions and traffic stress to test QoS in real-life network scenarios. Azimuth's client emulation and virtual positioning technology, coupled with a controlled RF environment, are designed to allow precise and repeatable testing of this functionality.

The Azimuth W-Series is the industry's first standardized test platform for system level testing of 802.11 wireless access points, clients and other devices. Designed from the ground up as an off-the-shelf, wireless LAN test platform, W-Series systems provide the ability to configure an entire WLAN network in a bench top chassis designed for complete Radio Frequency (RF) isolation and control. The flexibility and programmability of the W-Series allows for the thorough evaluation of wireless LAN equipment under varying mobility conditions and traffic patterns, as well as precise analysis of the results. The system offers an ideal environment to perform software design validation and to test advanced wireless functionality and performance including the latest IEEE standards.

About Azimuth:

Azimuth Systems, Inc. (www.azimuthsystems.com) is an innovator in wireless data communications test solutions. Azimuth's W-Series, the industry's first 802.11 test platform, sets the standard for wireless data test solutions by allowing system and semiconductor vendors to provide their customers with higher quality products in a shorter time-to-market. Based in Acton, Massachusetts, Azimuth is a leader in defining widely accepted wireless data communications performance metrics and test environments. Founded in 2002, Azimuth is backed by prestigious investors, including Kodiak Venture Partners and North Bridge Venture Partners.