Yokogawa Electric Corporation has developed a VC200 series of mobile phone testers that includes the first ever dual-mode service tester supporting both W-CDMA and GSM communications systems. The VC200 series will be released onto the market on November 25 and is targeted for use on production lines and in service shops.

VC200 series testers are designed to test mobile phones based on third-generation W-CDMA and GSM communications technology, the latter of which is in wide use around the world and is particularly popular in Europe. All models in the VC200 series may be used to conduct shipment testing on the production line and to perform fault diagnoses, repairs, or adjustments at service shops operated by mobile phone service providers. One model in this series, the VC230, is the world’s first simplified mobile phone service tester to support both W-CDMA and GSM.

Development Background
Third generation mobile phone systems supporting both W-CDMA and GSM are being introduced around the world. As the service area expands and the number of subscribers increases, there has been a growing demand on production lines and in service shops for a service tester that is foolproof in design and quick and easy to use.

In Europe, third-generation W-CDMA communications services are already available in some countries, while only GSM is available in other countries. Accordingly, the need for service testers that are compatible with both communication systems has grown significantly. Up until now there have been no simplified measuring instruments capable of supporting both W-CDMA and GSM communication systems, and the only products with this dual capability have been middle-of-the-line mobile-phone testers priced prohibitively high at several million yen. Users of low-cost testers had to have two instruments on hand to work with the two different communication systems.

The VC200 series was developed in response to these needs.

Product Features
1. World’s first dual-mode service tester compatible with both W-CDMA and GSM
With just one VC230 tester, users can measure the basic wireless characteristics and call functions of W-CDMA/GSM dual-mode mobile phones such as Vodafone Global Service terminals and NTT DoCoMo International Roaming Service terminals. The VC230 is well suited for the shipment testing of W-CDMA/GSM dual-mode terminals on the production line and fail/pass testing at service shops.

2. Excellent performance
VC200 series testers have the primary fault diagnosis functions that service shops require.  The supported power range is -10 to -110dBm for the transmission of signals from base stations to mobile terminals, and +35 to -70 dBm for the transmission of signals from mobile terminals, making this the world’s best performing tester in its product class. This also gives it sufficient power range to cover the power loss resulting from a cable or antenna connection when performing a power measurement.

3. Upgradability
The VC200 series comprises three models — the VC230 dual-mode mobile phone tester compatible with both W-CDMA and GSM, the VC220 compatible with W-CDMA only, and the VC210 compatible with GSM only. Users may first purchase the GSM-only model, for example, and later upgrade to the dual-mode model supporting W-CDMA as well.

Major Target Markets
Manufacturers of W-CDMA/GSM-compatible mobile phones and service providers who handle W-CDMA/GSM-compatible mobile phones

Applications
• Primary fault diagnosis at the service shops of W-CDMA/GSM mobile-phone service providers
• Shipment testing on W-CDMA/GSM-compatible mobile phone production lines