Creating a local CDMA or GSM network?

Question

I am developing a number of different mobile applications for a number of different mobile devices and I want to quickly test in a local development environment. I was wondering if it is possible (with some sort of hardware) to set up a local desktop CDMA / GSM base station for testing devices over a local personal cellular network. The range does not have to be very far. The alternative is purchasing a SIM card and plans for various carriers but not all carriers/network types are available in our area.

I'm sure I had seen some sort of desktop device that would let you setup local networks for development/testing purposes but can't seem to find it.

Thanks.

Answer 1

About the least expensive such device I know is the Agilent 8960. It's difficult to give an accurate price, since it depends on the options you choose, but you are likely to need to drop about $30,000 or more for a new one.

GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSPA, CDMA 2000, 1x, EV-DO are all supported, although a box with all of those options in it will be well over the figure I quoted above!

The device has been around for a while though, so you may find something on eBay or via surplus sales and the like.

The upside is that it gives you an enormous amount of control over the cellular environment, and will let you do repeatable throughput tests (something that is really impossible on 'live' networks unless you use statistical techniques and many, many test runs) but the obvious downside is the price!