Anritsu has announced full support for 5G and LTE eCall (NGeCall) validated test cases on its 5G NR Mobile Device Test Platform ME7834NR, enabling GCF certification.
eCall is a European initiative to aid motorists involved in accidents. It uses an in-vehicle system (IVS) equipped with sensors. When activated (e.g. by airbag deployment), it automatically initiates an emergency call to the pan-European emergency number 112. Along with the voice call, essential data such as location, passenger count and vehicle direction are also sent to the Public Safety Answering Point.
Since March 31, 2018, all new passenger cars and light-duty vehicles sold in the EU must be equipped with eCall capability. Mobile network operators are phasing out 2G/3G networks and transitioning to 4G/5G networks built on IMS. Consequently, there is a growing need for a harmonized shift to NGeCall.
“3GPP Release 14 for LTE and Release 16 for 5G, the next stages for eCall technologies, enable the automotive industry to certify NGeCall test solutions to deliver eCall modules that incorporate new NGeCall functions,” said Keiji Kameda, general manager, Mobile Solutions Division, Anritsu Corporation.
The conformance tests are defined by 3GPP in TS 34.229-5 for 5G and TS 34.229-1 for LTE, aligned with the core requirements in TS 24.229. These tests have been submitted by Anritsu to 3GPP’s Radio Access Network Working Group 5 (RAN WG5) and validated by GCF.