'Hello. Is This the Party to Whom I Am Speaking?'

摘要

For several years, actress Lily Tomlin's character Ernestine entertained millions by lampooning telephone operators. Of course, Ernestine didn't have to cope with testing phones, especially not modern digital wireless ones. A look at a few specifications quickly makes you aware that many tests must be performed while the phone is operating normally. These tests include power level and frequency, but also very specific performance aspects such as dynamic power control and soft handoff when moving from cell to cell. The immediate problem: The phone and test equipment must communicate using the proper protocols to set up the call in the first place.