Spirent launches Landslide E20 OTA for real handset lab testing

Spirent has introduced the Landslide E20 Over-the-Air (OTA) solution, a platform for automated end-to-end testing of real handsets in controlled lab environments.

The new platform aims to assist mobile network operators, handset manufacturers, and lab automation teams with the validation of application, service, device, and operating system (OS) performance across 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi networks. It also offers support for complex network scenarios including mobility and roaming.

The telecommunications sector is under increasing pressure to ensure that handset performance, service quality, and OS updates are validated thoroughly before their widespread deployment. Traditional lab testing methods, which often rely on network emulations, have been unable to fully replicate the subscriber experience as delivered by real devices in operational settings.

The Landslide E20 OTA solution seeks to address this challenge by offering integrated software, customisable scripting capabilities, and support for dual SIM handset testing. The platform is also described as having carrier-grade automation features, with the ability to provide detailed visibility into the behaviour of real devices. Its architecture is designed to be scalable, accommodating simultaneous testing on hundreds of handsets.

"Ongoing evolution of 5G, Wi-Fi offload strategies, and new handset and OS releases demand an automated, repeatable approach to testing in realistic conditions," said Anil Kollipara, Vice President of Product Management, Spirent. "Our Landslide E20 OTA solution delivers full-stack visibility and real-world accuracy, validating services under true user conditions. This platform uncovers performance issues others miss, with scalable testing across devices, OS updates, and mobility scenarios."

The Landslide E20 OTA solution features several key capabilities, including end-to-end validation that covers the entire subscriber journey from the handset through the radio access network (RAN) and into the core network. It provides automation for real device testing via API and software development kit (SDK) integration. This method, which operates independently of user interface (UI) changes, is intended to ensure long-term reliability and reduce maintenance requirements.

The platform can simulate multiple use cases concurrently, reflecting how subscribers often run different applications such as video streaming and voice calls at the same time. It also supports the creation of custom test scripts with remote UI control, allowing distributed teams at communications service providers (CSPs) to create, automate, and manage app-specific tests without the need for physical access to laboratory facilities. The rackmount-ready solution is designed for carrier-grade environments and aims to facilitate scalability within test laboratories.

In practice, the Landslide E20 OTA solution is built to underpin processes such as mobile core and RAN validation, device and OS certification, application performance testing, network slice analysis, and the evaluation of 5G/Wi-Fi offload techniques. The system also provides a way to test roaming scenarios in a controlled environment before any live rollout.

This testing approach is part of Spirent's broader strategy to provide assurance across the full lifecycle of service deployment, bridging the gap between lab conditions and live operational networks. By integrating OTA lab testing with its VisionWorks platform for live mobile network management, Spirent is offering customers the ability to perform continuous validation from service development through to deployment on commercial networks.

"The Landslide E20 OTA solution further reinforces our leadership in scalable, end-to-end service assurance and represents a critical advancement in lab-based OTA testing for the telecommunications industry," said Kollipara.