Spirent Communications Delivers Automatic Test Solution for E911 Handsets; First Single-Source Solution for Testing of Location-Capable CDMA Wireless Handsets.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

EATONTOWN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 1, 2001

Spirent Communications(TM), a wholly-owned business group of Spirent plc (NYSE:SPM), today announced the first customer shipment of its CDMA Position Location Test System (PLTS).

PLTS is the first commercially-available single-source solution for automated testing of handset-based wireless position location technologies.

CDMA wireless network service providers around the world are rapidly deploying position location technologies. This deployment is driven by the FCC's Enhanced 911 (E911) Phase II mandate and by the worldwide commercial potential of location-based services. The FCC's E911 rules are intended to enable emergency services personnel to locate a wireless 911 caller much more quickly and accurately.

To be effective in E911 applications, it is critical that position location technologies achieve specified performance levels.

Spirent's latest integrated lab-based test solution allows developers, manufacturers and evaluators to quickly and accurately test the performance of location-capable CMDA wireless handsets and other mobile devices.

This capability significantly reduces the need for costly, time-consuming field trials, thus accelerating the successful deployment of position location technologies such as AFLT, A-GPS, GPS and Hybrid (A-GPS and AFLT).

At the heart of the new PLTS system is a Spirent AirAccess C2K CDMA Network Emulator. AirAccess C2K has been rapidly accepted as the industry standard for CDMA2000 1xMC testing and is currently in use at leading CDMA service providers and handset manufacturers.

AirAccess C2K emulates cdmaOne and CDMA2000 networks and is integrated with a commercial-grade Position Determination Entity (PDE) that emulates the network server portion of a wireless position location system.

PLTS includes closed-loop automation of the mobile device under evaluation, enabled by Spirent's Universal Diagnostic Monitor (UDM), which provides comprehensive real-time CDMA mobile device control and performance analysis during test campaigns.

The PLTS also benefits from Spirent Communications' global leadership in GPS system simulation. The Spirent STR4500 Multi-Channel GPS Simulator provides fully programmable, highly accurate simulation of signals and associated propagation effects from the GPS satellite constellation.

"Service providers has been striving to accelerate their position location technology deployment to meet the FCC's E911 October 1st handset availability mandate," said Charles Simmons, President of Spirent Communications, TAS Division. "This timely shipment of the PLTS system is a prime example of the breadth and depth of Spirent's leadership in wireless device performance testing."

For more information on PLTS, contact Nigel Wright at [phone] or via e-mail at [e-mail]. Lead-time is twelve weeks. Pricing starts at $171,950.

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About Spirent Communications

Spirent Communications unites the best in performance analysis technology with network operations expertise. The company's award-winning solutions enable customers to accelerate the development, deployment and assurance of next-generation network equipment and services worldwide.

Spirent Communications designs and manufactures Adtech, DLS, Edgcumbe, GSS, Hekimian, Net-HOPPER, SmartBits, TAS and Zarak products.

More than 2,500 of the world's leading network and terminal equipment manufacturers, network service providers, corporate enterprises and test laboratories rely on our first-to-market products to verify and measure the performance and services of networks and communications devices. Spirent plc is the parent of Spirent Communications.

Spirent plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: SPT) and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker: SPM; CUSIP number: 84856M209), with one American Depositary Receipt representing four ordinary shares. Further information about Spirent plc can be found at www.spirent.com.

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