The secret of Comfone Key2roam® revealed - The Test Unit

24. August 2004


"Operators across the globe have expressed genuine interest in Comfone Key2roam®. Many have also shown curiosity about the exact workings of Key2roam®'s remote Test Unit. Here we reveal the details and explain just how simple and solid the solution is."
Oscar Derrer, Chief Executive Officer, Comfone

Comfone Key2roam® is a solution that enables fast roaming worldwide. It is based on the broker concept, whereby one roaming agreement and one roaming relation with Comfone gives a Key2roam® operator access to all destinations already connected to the key2roam platform. All mobile operators benefit from increased roaming coverage, radically reduced IREG and TADIG testing, simplified procedures and lower operational costs.

A core aspect of the broker concept depends on one piece of hardware - the Key2roam® Test Unit. Installed at the customer's premises, the Test Unit enables Comfone to carry out remote end-to-end roaming tests between the new roaming partner and all existing members of the Key2roam® community.

The benefits of this method of testing are numerous:

• The new operator need only send 5 SIM cards to Comfone
• The Test Unit, configured by Comfone before shipping to the customer premises, is easy to install
• The Test Unit only requires an office environment, a power supply, Internet access and a good GSM radio-signal
• Connection to an MSC is NOT required
• The Test Unit requires no maintenance
• Only one full set of IREG and TADIG tests must be carried out with the Key2roam® test network. Once these tests are complete, all tests of new roaming connections and periodic maintenance-testing of existing relations are carried out remotely via the Comfone Key2roam® Test Unit

Figure 1: The Test Unit

Some basic facts:

• The Test Unit weighs 3.3 kg and is 11 x 17 x 23 cm in size
• The Test Unit is made up of two integrated GSM Multiband devices inside a metal casing
• The Test SIM cards are located centrally at Comfone's headquarters in Switzerland (No SIM cards are physically present in the Test Unit)
• The Test Unit communicates with the SIM cards being tested via the public Internet
• The Test Unit includes a software firewall already configured by Comfone
• The Test Unit is provided by Comfone and operated remotely

Figure 2: Installation of the Test Unit

How it works:

• The Test Unit at the customer premises is connected to the public Internet, as is Comfone's centralised Key2roam® test equipment, including the centralised SIM-server
• Test SIM cards of the roaming partner and all Key2roam® community members are inserted into the centralised SIM Server at Comfone
• The Test Unit directly communicates with the centrally stored SIM card at Comfone during the test phase in order to exchange the relevant information required to execute the test sequence
• Comfone transfers the relevant SIM data via the public Internet to the concerned remote Test Unit. The connection is secured by a SSH (Secure Shell) and a firewall
• Test results are transferred to the Comfone Control Unit
• All relevant data is automatically deleted from the Test Unit once testing is complete
• Test reports are generated and made accessible to the roaming partner

Figure 3: Operation of the Test Unit

The solution is really that simple. The Test Unit acts as a GSM test mobile phone. Testing between the roaming partner and all other Key2roam® community members is carried out remotely by Comfone via the Public Internet.

Once initial IREG and TADIG tests have been completed, the roaming partner can sit back and let the Test Unit carry out all further testing of new relations as well as periodic re-testing of existing relations.

Learn about Comfone Key2roam®
Comfone Key2roam® community members

Back to newsletter