Spirent(R) Communications Delivers First Over-T...

SUNNYVALE, California, December 2 /PRNewswire/ --

    - New Test Capability on Spirent ULTS to Improve End-User Experience of
Location Based Services



    Spirent Communications (LSE: SPT), a global provider of performance
analysis and service management solutions, today announced the first delivery
of its new Over-the-Air (OTA) test solution for Assisted GPS (A-GPS) in
mobile devices to 7 layers in Irvine, California. 7 layers, a global group of
test and service centers, is the first CTIA-accredited 3rd party laboratory
to enlarge its OTA service portfolio with Spirent's UMTS Location Test System
(ULTS).



(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080909/CLTU016LOGO)

    Poor GPS antenna performance often leads to a disappointing user
experience of location-based services (LBS), which can reflect negatively on
operators' LBS revenues. However, adding a GPS antenna to a densely-packed
mobile device form factor can be a major challenge. Because the industry's
existing certification standards for A-GPS do not include OTA testing,
performance issues due to the GPS antenna are not always caught prior to
commercial deployment. This has led the CTIA to broaden the scope of its
existing OTA Performance Test Plan to include A-GPS.



    "At Spirent we have always recognized the key GPS test challenges. Our
GPS simulation expertise and integrated test solutions such as ULTS have
enabled the entire industry to address A-GPS performance issues early in the
development cycle. We have made important contributions to all the industry's
A-GPS test standards, including the CTIA's revision of its OTA Performance
Test Plan, and we have worked closely with 7 layers' experts on
implementation and verification of the CTIA tests on our ULTS platform" said
Ron Borsato, Solutions Architect at Spirent Communications, who also chairs
the CTIA's GPS OTA Subgroup. "Once finalized, the revised CTIA test plan will
become a requirement at all CTIA-accredited OTA test labs, helping to ensure
a consistent level of A-GPS performance."



    "Working with Spirent gives us the earliest possible opportunity to meet
our customers' requests for both development testing and A-GPS certification
once the CTIA Test Plan has been revised," said David Bissonette, Vice
President Business Development at 7 layers. "Working together with Spirent, a
partner that has more than 20 years of GPS testing experience, proved to be
highly successful and we feel that this new test service complying with CTIA
requirements will be an important step to ensure end-user satisfaction with
the latest A-GPS services."



For more information visit www.spirent.com/go/ults

About 7 layers

    7 layers is an international group of test and service centers for the
wireless communications industry, with broad expertise in testing and
qualification for GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSPA, WiMAX, Bluetooth(R) and other
wireless communications technologies. 7 layers offers test house services,
engineering services and software development. As experts in conformance
testing, 7 layers is also involved in the development of test specifications,
test cases and test case validation for major test system manufacturers and
certification groups. The 7 layers test and service centers are connected via
a "Rapid Response Network." Test projects run via this network to ensure
seamless information transfer between customers and the 7 layers sites in
Germany, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and USA. (www.7Layers.com)



About Spirent Communications plc

    Spirent Communications (www.spirentcom.com) is a global provider of
integrated performance analysis and service assurance systems that enable the
development and deployment of next-generation networking technology such as
Internet telephony, broadband services, 3G wireless, global navigation
satellite systems, and network security equipment. Spirent Communications'
solutions are used by more than 1,700 customers in 30 countries, including
the world's largest equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprises
and governments. Based in Sunnyvale, CA, Spirent Communications has 1,500
employees worldwide.



    Spirent Communications plc Ordinary shares are traded on the London Stock
Exchange (ticker: SPT). The Company operates a Level 1 American Depositary
Receipt ("ADR") programme with each ADR representing four Spirent
Communications plc Ordinary shares. The ADRs trade in the US over-the-counter
("OTC") market under the symbol SPMYY and the CUSIP number is 84856M209.
Spirent Communications' sales to the United States government are made
through Spirent Federal Systems Inc. www.spirentfederal.com.



    Spirent, Spirent Communications and the Spirent logo are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Spirent Communications plc. All other trademarks or
registered trademarks mentioned herein are held by their respective
companies. All rights reserved.



For more information please visit www.spirent.com/go/ults.

    This document may contain forward-looking statements which are made in
good faith and are based on current expectations or beliefs, as well as
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these statements by the use of a date in the future or such words as "will",
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and are subject to factors that could cause our actual results to differ
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undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained
in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.



    CONTACT: Sailaja Tennati of Spirent Communications, Direct Tel 
[phone], [e-mail]; or Brigitte Lewis of 7 layers,
[phone], [e-mail]