How to Test MCX Conformance to 3GPP Standards

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Validating Compliance of Chipsets and Devices to 3GPP MCX Standards

Mission Critical Communications (MCX) has emerged as a groundbreaking standard within the 3GPP, offering a reliable, efficient, and feature-rich communication solution for mission-critical situations such as public safety, security, transportation, and utilities. Facilitated by TCCA (The Critical Communications Association) through the promotion of open standards, MCX is transitioning from narrowband Land Mobile Radio (LMR)-based Push-To-Talk (PTT) systems with limited data capabilities, to broadband MCX technology based on 4G/5G networks, enabling new features such as video calling, geolocation and IoT sensor data.

Tests for 3GPP MCX, which include MC-PTT, MC-Video, and MC-Data, pose several unique challenges due to the complexity, reliability, and interoperability requirements inherent to mission-critical environments such as public safety, defense, utilities, and railways. Protocol conformance testing (PCT), not present in narrowband systems, is being adopted to ensure standards compliance and ensure high reliability, performance, and interworking mandated by mission-critical communications.

3GPP EUTRA Mission Critical Protocol Conformance Test Solution

To enable MCX device makers to conduct conformance testing, Keysight has validated the first test cases for MC-PTT using the 3GPP-defined test specification, for both LTE and 5G. The initial test cases cover the major steps the MC-PTT client undertakes to be configured with the MC-PTT server. This includes cell attach, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) registration, user authentication and key management via Internet Protocol Security (IPSec), identity management, user service authorization, and user configuration data sharing including group management.

The Keysight S8704A Protocol Conformance Toolset supports the MCX protocol conformance test requirements. This solution features a user-friendly interface for configuring the device, preparing test plans, executing tests, checking results, and generating reports.

Typical users benefiting from this test solution:

  • Test houses and test labs that run tests for GCF/PTCRB device certification
  • Operators who want to make sure that the devices they offer are GCF/PTCRB certified
  • Device manufacturers to ensure their devices are certified before launch to market
  • Chipset manufactures for pre-certification testing

The independently validated Keysight platform supports MCX protocol conformance requirements: 

  • MC-PTT: 3GPP TS 36.579-2 (LTE) / 3GPP TS 37.579-2 (5G)
  • MC-Video: 3GPP TS 36.579-6 (LTE) / 3GPP TS 37.579-6 (5G)
  • MC-Data: 3GPP TS 36.579-7 (LTE) / 3GPP TS 37.579-7 (5G)
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