PRODUCTS EDITOR’S CHOICE
INSIGHT INTO THE USER EXPERIENCE OF VOWI-FI Spirent Communications and Signals Research Group (SRG) revealed their collaboration on the next chapter in the multi-part study of all things VoLTE. With the current industry buzz around VoWi-Fi as the vehicle for carriers to deliver seamless voice coverage, the ability to provide a great user experience has been called into question. This report, “Behind The VoLTE Curtain, Part 4” addresses the immediate concerns around the ability of VoWi-Fi to deliver a favourable user experience and a seamless interaction with the macro cellular network. SRG worked with Spirent to analyse VoWi-Fi call quality using both
residential and public venue access points, such as a major convention centre and an international airport lounge. These tests included the impacts of network loading and comparisons with VoLTE, 3G HD Voice, and Skype, including test scenarios involving a mix of the aforementioned voice applications. Finally, the study detailed call hand-offs between VoWi-Fi and VoLTE to determine what, if any, challenges exist with respect to network interoperability. In this report, SRG leveraged Spirent’s Nomad User Experience Analytics System to quantify the voice quality using the industry-standard POLQA algorithm for a large number of usage scenarios. “By and large, we found that VoWi-Fi is as good or as bad as the underlying
Wi-Fi network,” said Michael Thelander, the President of Signals Research Group. “Without question, the call quality was much better and more consistent with a residential Wi-Fi access point in a controlled environment and with minimal network traffic. With public Wi-Fi access points, the consumer needs to be more forgiving, especially in areas where other Wi-Fi users like to congregate.” “Collaborating with SRG on this live field study gives us the opportunity
to evaluate initial deployments of VoWi-Fi devices and services and explore anticipated user experience challenges,” said Kurt Bantle, senior solutions architect at Spirent Communications. “For the next study, we are looking forward to working with SRG in a controlled lab environment where we can replicate many of the same VoWi-Fi test scenarios”, Bantle added. Spirent Communications
www.spirent.com
DOUBLE THE FLASH & IMPROVED SECURITY
Microchip has expanded its eXtreme Low Power (XLP) PIC microcontroller portfolio. Features of the new PIC24F “GB4” family include an integrated hardware crypto engine with both OTP and Key RAM options for secure key storage, up to 256KB of Flash memory and a direct drive for segmented LCD displays, in 64-, 100- or 121-pin packages. Dual-partition Flash with Live Update capability allows the devices to hold two independent software applications, and permits the simultaneous programming of one partition while executing application code from the other. These devices are ideal for designers of industrial, computer, medical/ fitness and portable applications that require secure data transfer and storage, and a long battery life. To protect embedded data, several Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) that run without the CPU are integrated into this range. The fully featured hardware crypto engine, which includes support for the AES, DES and 3DES standards, reduces software overhead, lowers power consumption and enables faster throughput. A Random Number Generator is used for generating random keys for data encryption, decryption and authentication, enabling a higher level of security. For additional protection, these devices offer the flexibility of choosing from two crypto-key storage options: One- Time-Programmable (OTP) to prevent overwriting keys, or Key RAM that erases keys if power is lost. To allow the application’s Real-Time Clock to continue running when primary power is removed, a VBAT pin can be used to supply back-up power. Reducing system components, a segmented LCD display driver
provides the ability to directly drive up to 512 segments, enabling more informative and flexible displays that include descriptive icons and scrolling. This range is supported by the company’s standard suite of
development tools, including the PIC24FJ256GB410 Plug-In Module (MA240038) for the Explorer 16 Development Board (DM240001). Microchip
www.microchip.com
/ ELECTRONICS ELECTRONICS | SEPTEMBER 2015 5
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