DURHAM, N.H., May 8, 2018 – The University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), an independent provider of broad-based testing and standards conformance services for the networking industry, today announced it is expanding its WiFi testing capabilities in alignment with the Broadband Forum’s WT-398 test plan, a set of performance metrics for WiFi in different scenarios that allows providers to benchmark WiFi Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) to ensure it meets user expectations. The Broadband Forum WT-398 test plan represents the first time industry has truly agreed to performance testing for WiFi systems and provides service providers with a tool set to compare and qualify equipment for their networks. The UNH-IOL will be holding an educational webinar on 31 May 2018 at 11:00 AM EDT highlighting the importance of testing to WT-398 metrics.
“For service providers vested in differentiating their offerings based upon best-in-class performance, having the capability to perform testing plans to WT-398 is a critical first step in assuring wireless quality of service for customers,” said UNH-IOL Senior Engineer Lincoln Lavoie. “We have already established how wireless performance is impacted by faster technologies and an ever-increasing number of WiFi-connected devices. Now, for the first time, service providers will be able to request testing for WT-398 and receive detailed reports on where equipment stands in meeting industry-accepted performance metrics.”
Testing specifications covered in the webinar include:
- Key testing topics covered within the WT-398 testing
- Implementation of testing, common mistakes, and how to avoid them
- Gaps being covered by other WiFi testing under development by the UNH-IOL
Wireless performance has become a key factor within the broadband industry. Because many consumers view WiFi connectivity as their Internet connection, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are generally blamed for poor performance. The ever-increasing number of WiFi-connected devices, and the advent of new, faster wireless technologies like IEEE 802.11ac, and the push to use the 5GHz spectrum, has increased the number of factors that can directly impact WiFi performance.
To register for the upcoming UNH-IOL webinar on 31 May 2018 at 11:00 AM EST, and to learn more about WT-398 conformance testing metrics and associated technical issues and solutions, please visit the webinar registration page.