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In the last few years, there are many discussions across the world regarding the 2G/3G Network sunset/shutdown. Many operators have either already shut down their 2G/3G or are planning to in the near future. The drivers behind this move are several with the main ones re-using frequencies to newer technologies like 4G and 5G and reducing costs and effort in maintaining legacy radio networks. This move will affect end-users in a variety of ways and during this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona SmartViser assessed the true impact of this change. We have performed testing at the event of the Audio MOS quality on different radio networks and using WhatsApp. At the time of the event (28/02/22 – 03/03/22), there were no roaming VoLTE agreements for the networks we have checked VDF UK, O2 UK, Orange FR. The map below gives an overview of the VoLTE roaming agreements per country and there are none in place for Spain. Source: GSMA ( https://www.gsma.com/aboutus/workinggroups/key-areas/volte-roaming ) Testing Configuration Testing was conducted at the event with an Orange France SIM roaming on the Orange Spain network. The device used was an LG Velvet. All testing was performed calling a Samsung A52 with an SFR France SIM roaming on the Movistar network. viSer test automation was used to ensure all the KPIs are collected, reliability and repeatability of the testing. Together with ViSer test automation the add on viSer Audio MOS solution using the POLQA algorithm was also used for the accurate measurement of the audio quality. Test Sets: 1) Cellular Calls 2G 2) Cellular Calls 3G 3) WhatsApp Calls on 4G Network The Network condition was very good: 2G (Blue): RxLev ~ -55 dBm 3G (Black): RSCP ~ -60 dBm 4G (Green): RSRP ~ -75 dBm The diagram below shows the signal strength and timeline. Audio MOS Testing Results The average Audio MOS score was a surprise, with a big difference between each option. 2G Cellular calls had an average score of 2.85* (Blue) 3G Cellular Calls had an average score of 3.04* (Black) WhatsApp Calls using a 4G network had an average score of 4.05* (Green) *POLQA™ MOS scores: Score 1: means that despite great effort, it is impossible to understand what is being said during the call (the call repeatedly cuts in and out) Score 2: means the quality is not good and a lot of effort is needed to understand Score 3: indicates an acceptable level of quality and fairly understandable conversation Score 4: is a good quality level, understandable with minor interference noise Score 5: is an excellent quality level, understandable discussion without interference noise WhatsApp call used an average bandwidth of 14 kbps: Performance Testing Conclusion The results collected from our team show that it is imperative for the industry to prepare fully for the 2G/3G network shutdowns. It will be important to educate and encourage end-users to upgrade their devices to VoLTE/VoWiFi capable and Mobile Network operators will need to significantly accelerate the VoLTE roaming agreements across the world. Covid has played a significant role in slowing the progress of putting these agreements in place as roaming traffic had almost disappeared during the lockdowns. The rate of network shutdowns though continued as planned and there is now this gap in Quality of Experience (QoE) that need to be addressed. As Tommy Ljunggren from Telia Company has highlighted the necessity for action: “My recommendation to the Operators is to get g oing now and start with the first roaming agreements, first roaming implementations, because when you have done the first you will learn so much that you can very quickly go to the second, the third, the fourth” For business users travelling to Spain for the Mobile World Congress in 2022 WhatsApp calls and potentially other OTT apps were the best option over cellular calls. For end-users whose device does not support VoLTE or if they are using a feature phone then the cellular audio MOS calls are expected to be of poor or average quality. Especially in countries/networks where 3G is already switched off the only option will be 2G calls and from our experience in Barcelona, a lot of effort is required to understand the conversation. For the latest list on 2G/3G network shutdown please check: https://www.smartviser.com/post/2g-3gnetworkshutdown GSMA has created a toolkit to address known VoLTE roaming issues and also provide a summary of industry plans to decommission 2G/3G networks. The very useful toolkit can be found: https://www.gsma.com/aboutus/workinggroups/key-areas/volte-roaming Don't miss our next performance testing reports: Battery impact between 4G and 5G (UK & France Operators Report). Private Networks Testing MVNO vs MNO QoE UK Report VoLTE key Testing items for OEMs, MNOs, MVNOs Join our SmartViser Mailing List. Stay up-to-date with all the latest SmartViser testing, Performance Results and Reports. Just Subscribe to get interesting content to your inbox. Contact us for a Free Trial of viSer Test Automation Please message us to arrange a chat on how test automation or our test services can help you. Susie Siouti is the Chief Commercial Officer for SmartViser helping organisations in the Telecommunications industry offer superior end-user quality of experience and service with the introduction of innovative test automation products. Susie has 20 years of experience in the Telecoms industry and in that time has led teams across the world testing and certifying mobile devices together with responsibility for managing a full range of after-sales activities. Susie joined SmartViser in 2016, part of the internal steering committee, and is working with many organisations aiming to create value by offering better quality of products and services with a strong focus on continuous improvement of energy performance and efficiency.

There has been a lot of talk regarding 5G capabilities and all the new opportunities it will open in terms of use cases. In terms of Technology, 5G is the split between sub-6GHz (e.g 3.5GHz and mmWave (e.g 26GHz, 28GHz, 39GHz, 60Ghz). The bandwidth is 25 times more than what’s currently used for 3G/4G. This will allow for multi-Gbps data rates, increased capacity, and lower latency. Source: GSMA 5G mmWave Summit – Unlocking the Full Potential of 5G, Barcelona In terms of devices, there is an expanding trend with more than 150 devices now supporting 5GmmWave. Source: GSMA 5G mmWave Summit – Unlocking the Full Potential of 5G, Barcelona and GSA Feb 2022 Some of the advantages of mmWave fast Gbps uplink are: 1) Sharing experiences at an event 2) Everywhere AR/VR 3) Media Production and live streaming 4) Smart factories industries Even though there seems to be a lot of effort in deploying mmWave with many benefits according to Gartner Market Trends: 5G mmWave Stalls in Smartphones Published on 23rd October 2020 there is still some slow adoption of the technology among smartphone manufacturers. The Gartner reports sites three main findings: The adoption of mmWave has been slower than expected in smartphones due to a combination of high costs and technical challenges. Gartner estimated that on average, adding mmWave support adds approximately $20 to the cost of a smartphone. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the restrictions in large gatherings have limited the ability to use these areas as powerful use cases. Even though mmWave remains critical technology for the evolution of 5G the slow adoption will delay reductions in component costs. Looking at the impact of mmWave: ​Advantages of mmWave Spectrum ​Challenges of mmWave Spectrum Spectrum Availability: Large swaths of contiguous spectrum ​Propagation Limitations: mmWave signals do not penetrate walls or other solids, making non-line-of-sight applications challenging ​Propagation Limitations: This allows clearly defined networks in confined spaces Cost: Initial costs for mmWave integration remain high Reflection: High reflectivity permits multiple radio paths facilitating MIMO ​Power Consumption: Power challenges exist in mobile/battery-powered applications High Data Throughput With Limited Interference: This is not a crowded spectrum compared to sub-6GHz Antenna and RF Front-End Complexity: The RF front end for mmWave, including antenna arrays, is technically challenging Antenna Size: Extremely small individual antenna elements permit the use of phased array or multiple points of reception/transmission ​Limited Supply Chain: The mmWave supply chain is limited, particularly for mobile components MIMO = multiple input/multiple output; RF = radio frequency Source Gartner (October 2020) Read the full Gartner report: Market Trends: 5G mmWave Stalls in Smartphones https://www.smartviser.com/resources-gartnermarkettrends-5gmmwave (Available until 10th of June 2022) Don't miss our next performance testing reports: Battery impact between 4G and 5G (UK & France Operators Report). Private Networks Testing MVNO vs MNO QoE UK Report VoLTE key Testing items for OEMs, MNOs, MVNOs Join our SmartViser Mailing List. Stay up-to-date with all the latest SmartViser testing, Performance Results and Reports. Just Subscribe to get interesting content to your inbox. Do you want to know more? Contact us for a Free Trial of viSer Test Automation Please message us to arrange a chat on how test automation or our test services can help you. Susie Siouti is the Chief Commercial Officer for SmartViser helping organisations in the Telecommunications industry offer superior end-user quality of experience and service with the introduction of innovative test automation products. Susie has 20 years of experience in the Telecoms industry and in that time has led teams across the world mainly in Testing and Compliance. Holding an MBA from Henley Business School brings a diverse set of skills and expertise, including business acumen, strategic thinking, financial management, sales and marketing expertise, leadership, and innovation. Susie joined SmartViser in 2016, is part of the internal steering committee , responsible for developing and implementing the company's commercial strategy and encouraging a customer-centric culture. The main mission is to help organizations to create value by offering better quality products and services by improving operational efficiency and innovation.

Press Release - New Partnership Date: 20th June 2022 Wakefield, MA, and Rennes, France (June 20, 2022) -- Valid8.com, Inc., a leading provider of test and analytics solutions for next-generation devices and networks, and SmartViser SAS, an industry leader in automated testing solutions, are pleased to announce a technology collaboration to offer a comprehensive testing platform for MCX Client devices. With the increasing global adoption of mission-critical communications solutions, device manufacturers need a comprehensive MCX testing solution for verification against standards. At the same time, they need the testing to be efficient, expeditious and reliable. “Collaborating with SmartViser helps us deliver a comprehensive MCX test suite to device manufacturers in public safety and other industries”, said Winnie Carpenter, Vice President of technology at Valid8.com. “We are pleased to be working with the team at SmartViser”. “We are excited to integrate our test automation solutions with Valid8’s MCX test suite, to deliver a comprehensive and efficient testing platform to device manufacturers” said Susie Siouti, Chief Commercial Officer of SmartViser. “SmartViser specializes in the end-to-end delivery of automated testing solutions for Mobile Network Operators, Regulators, MVNOs, device manufacturers, Mission Critical Networks, and this collaboration with Valid8.com furthers the achievement of our goals.” Valid8.com and SmartViser will jointly demonstrate the comprehensive testing platform at the TCCA Critical Communications World event at Messe Wien, Austria, from June 21st to June 23rd, 2022. Meet Valid8 at Stand G91 Meet SmartViser at Stand G90 Valid8.com’s MCX Client Device Testing Valid8.com enables device manufacturers to conduct comprehensive testing of their devices to support MCPTT, MCVideo and MCData. This testing provides peace of mind to end users of mission-critical devices, that their devices are fully tested and reliable, and allows them to focus on their life-saving work without concerns about the technology being used. A wide range of test suites are available for functional, performance, conformance and security testing. SmartViser’s Test Automation Solutions SmartViser’s innovative automated testing solutions provide device manufacturers the assurance they that their testing will be optimized, their testing coverage improved, and their testing costs reduced. It allows to test a wide range of use cases like data throughput, battery performance, Audio MOS using POLQA on cellular, PPT and any OTT (WhatsApp, Viber etc), Network Coverage and Reachability, Connectivity Performance and much more. About SmartViser SmartViser is positioned as an automation technology provider with expertise in mission critical device and network testing. Their simple, user-friendly test solution is unlike other solutions as there is no need for additional hardware and a complex setup. SmartViser offers automated testing solutions that allows users to easily and quickly optimize their testing. Headquartered in Rennes France and with an international presence, are fully committed to supporting customers and are proud to collaborate with key players in the industry. Its mission is to provide cutting edge innovation to help our customers succeed in today’s fast-evolving technologies and environments. Since July 2021 SmartViser has been selected by the European Commission to provide a solution and a testing methodology for the Energy Efficiency Index labelling requirements for smartphones and tablets. You can find more information about SmartViser and its innovative software on the Web at www.smartviser.com Press Contact: info@smartviser.com About Valid8.com Valid8.com helps the world’s networks work by providing the best methods to simulate and test network equipment and communication protocols. With 19 years of proven results, Valid8 believes that testing tools should start with a flexible and affordable base with the ability to customize solutions to needs. Clients should only pay for what they need. Valid8 is dedicated to customer success with a comprehensive support program providing direct access to engineers to assist with training, integration, and problem-solving. Over 90% of customer feedback points to Valid8.com’s flexibility and service as the reason they have chosen to partner with the company. Valid8.com has succeeded in giving clients a refreshing change from the testing status quo. For additional information, please visit www.valid8.com Press Contact: Tara Cleary: t.cleary@valid8.com

Press Release: SmartViser collaborates with the Energy Efficiency project with the European Commission Date: 5th September 2022 The European Commission is looking to make smartphones and tablets more environmentally friendly. As part of this objective, they have released the circular economy action plan. The plan provides a future-oriented agenda with a set of interrelated initiatives to establish a policy framework that will help create sustainable products. The Circular Electronics Initiative * , regulatory measures for electronics and ICT including mobile phones, tablets, and laptops under the Ecodesign Directive so that devices are designed for energy efficiency and durability, reparability, upgradability, maintenance, reuse, and recycling. Within this framework, two Commission initiatives * are currently assessing the feasibility of Ecodesign/Energy Labelling requirements for mobile phones and tablets. The two initiatives on the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling of mobile phones and tablets will be part of secondary legislation respectively implementing the Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC and supplementing the Energy Labelling Regulation 2017/1369. The new energy label for smartphones and tablets will display the familiar energy ratings that have been seen on other products like fridges and TVs currently sold within the European Union. The new regulations are expected to be signed into law in early 2023 and to come into force after a comparatively short transition period of approximately twelve months. SmartViser a technology company headquartered in Rennes France has developed the test automation solution viSer which is used by several manufacturers, operators and media for their device and network testing. Providing mobile test automation solutions is helping to shape the Smartphone industries to benefit from impactful test automation that can provide repeatable and trustable results. SmartViser has been working with the EU Commission and Fraunhofer IZM which has been supporting the European Commission in a detailed study of technical feasibility and commercial consequences, since June 2021. The result of this collaboration was the set of regulatory options and testing procedures that are being refined and formalised in the draft regulations. Xavier Frere , CTO of SmartViser highlights: “We are very pleased to be involved in the EEI index project as Battery is one of our core expertise, competencies, and capabilities. Thanks to the unique technology the powerful engine viSer can test devices the same way an end user will use them while at the same time collecting several valuable KPIs. Since our collaboration with the Energy Efficiency project with the European Commission and the Beta testing program, we have been overwhelmed with the support of the smartphone manufacturers community helping build and reinforce the testing process based on viSer test automation that will benefit the greater community and the end users of all future products”. The chosen testing methodology will be based on the Day of Use Simulation which will run automatically in a loop of several usages (activities) the same way as an end user will do. Testing could be fully automated using viSer test automation conducted in a controlled test environment using a network simulator to ensure repeatability and reliability. Ventilation and temperature conditions will also be specified. The viSer EEI application would then perform the testing as per the defined methodology and at the end of the testing would provide an Energy Efficiency Index measurement. Susie Siouti , CCO of SmartViser reflected: “In the last few years, we have seen an ever-increasing trend of device manufacturers producing products with bigger battery sizes using more precious metals in order to offer longer battery life. With the introduction of the Energy labelling of mobile phones and tablets, we are looking to see a shift in that trend by providing better energy efficiency that will allow for smaller batteries and less frequent recharging". The proposed regulations will be part of the agenda at the next IFA 2022 Consumer Electronics expo in Berlin from 2nd - 6th September 2022. SmartViser will be performing live demos of the test procedure of the Energy Efficiency rating between the 5th and 6th of September at Fraunhofer IZM stand 336 in Hall 20. Our team of experts, CTO Xavier Frere, our CCO Susie Siouti and our Business Development Manager Thierry Le Bihan, look forward to meeting with you. * More details: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12798- Energy-labelling-of-mobile-phones-and-tablets-informing-consumers-about-environmentalimpact_en About SmartViser SmartViser with long telecoms expertise and customer-centric innovation has developed the standalone test automation suite viSer that allows OEMs, ODMs, Mobile Operators, MVNOs, Regulators and any company offering Telecom Services to test, benchmark, monitor, troubleshoot or measure QoS/QoE on devices, connectivity, and mobile network technology. SmartViser launched its first ViserMark Label to measure battery life performance translating mAh into straightforward battery life scores. Thus, allowing smartphone manufacturers to improve their battery life performance and offer superior quality of experience for their end-users. Headquartered in Rennes France and with an international presence, we are fully committed to supporting our customers and are proud to collaborate with key players in the industry. Our mission is to provide cutting-edge innovation to help our customers succeed in today’s fast-evolving technologies and environments. You can find more information about SmartViser and its innovative software on the Web at www.smartviser.com and ViserMark at: www.visermark.com Press Contact: info@smartviser.com

As part of the Circular Economy Action Plan, The European Commission now aims to make smartphone devices and Tablets more sustainable and has published two draft regulations. SmartViser has released a press release providing an update on the collaboration with EU Commission on the Energy Efficiency Index testing for smartphones and tables. Read the full press release here . SmartViser team was in Berlin kindly hosted by Fraunhofer IZM where they performed live demos of the innovative test automation product viser and discussed with visitors the proposed testing methodology for the smartphones and tablets battery energy efficiency assessment. SmartViser's Chief Commercial Officier Susie Siouti joined Dr Steffen Wasmus from Deutsche Telekom , Andreas Halatsch from Umwelt Bundesamt (German Environment Agency), Thea Kleinmagd from Fairphone, and Maarten Depypere from iFixit in the panel discussion: New eco-design regulations and energy efficiency labeling for smartphones and tablets. The panel was moderated by Karsten Schischke from Fraunhofer IZM Berlin . IFA Next Panel Discussion on 5th of September 2022: New eco-design regulations and energy efficiency labeling for smartphones and tablets. Summary of SmartViser's main points of the panel discussion Moderator Karsten Schischke Question: "For several years SmartViser is now active in benchmarking the battery performance of smartphones. How important are such benchmarks to users?" SmartViser Susie Siouti Comment: "Devices benchmarking is very important for end users to make informed decisions. Sometimes, it is not easy to decide which device is right for you and your intended usage. Especially battery performance is one of the key decision point for end users and rates very high in a number of surveys we have performed or other third parties have performed. That was the main reason we have created the ViserMark label 2 years ago specifically to fill this need to provide a reliable and consistent way of assessing battery life performance in an easy way for end users to understand without too much technical terminology. In an age where we get information overload we see end users seeking this type of information especially in a recognisable label." Moderator Karsten Schischke Question: There is this energy label in the planning: Susie, can you briefly summarise, how the energy efficiency is tested? SmartViser Susie Siouti Comment: SmartViser has developed the innovative app viSer which stands for Virtual User. The app (available for Android and ios) allows to automate a number of actions in a smartphone the same way a user will use. We have been working with media like GSMAreana, Frandroid and others that use viSer with their own testing protocol for battery assessment as well as major MNOS like Orange, Telia, SFR, Rakuten Mobile who perform their own testing protocol etc. For the EU EEI labeling, we have investigated a number of different ways to assess the energy efficiency using our experience gained with end users via ViserMark, Operators, Media, and research organisations. After assessing all the different options we have concluded the Day of Use Simulation as the best testing methodology. This will execute in a loop several activities simulating an end user. The chosen methodology has main benefits, easy to set up which will ensure accuracy and repeatability, and is the closest to end user way of Smartphone usage. Both device and external environment are very strictly controlled these include items like network conditions, screen and audio volume, connectivity (having Bluetooth on/off. NFC etc), ventilation, and room temperature. The overall setup will include the device and network simulator in a controlled environment and the device using viser will execute a number of activities in a loop following sessions in idle until the battery is exhausted. Moderator Karsten Schischke Question: "Why is it useful to standardise these energy performance measurements? Aren’t the manufacturers promoting long battery life before a recharge is needed anyhow? " SmartViser Susie Siouti Comment: "We need a consistent way to measure the energy performance to help both end users and manufacturers. For sure there is a lot of effort from the manufacturers' side to improve the battery performance and efficiency. What we also have observed is that In some cases though we see manufacturers simply increasing the battery size as a way of improving the battery life. This though has a detrimental effect on heavier, larger batteries which use more precious metals and natural resources. We now see most devices above 4,000mAh with the majority 5,000mAh being the norm with some small exceptions like the Fairphone devices which are sub 4000mAh. Simply increasing battery size to provide a longer battery is not the right approach to provide longer battery life." Moderator Karsten Schischke Question: "How do you see the risk, that manufacturers implement a mechanism to detect if the phone is tested and to improve performance then only in the test?" SmartViser Susie Siouti Comment: "There is genuine interest for manufacturers to improve their performance and we have seen this keen interest from almost everyone. In the unlikely event, we have manufacturers trying to circumvent we have three main ways we are looking to mitigate this. One viSer will be regularly updated changing certain parameters that prevent the device from altering the way it operates, detectable, secondly, there will be sample testing, and thirdly using potentially authorized or accredited labs for this assessment." Moderator Karsten Schischke Question: "Which kind of changes do you expect in the market once the Energy Label is in use? " SmartViser Susie Siouti Comment: It will certainly influence buying decisions from end users. The biggest change we are hoping this will make is to encourage manufacturers R&D centres to optimise their battery performance for better battery life rather than simply increasing the battery size. We would like to see effort being put to test and analyse the battery consumption on key applications and making the necessary changes to improve. Test, test, test and improve. There is already some early signs that there is a small shift towards this direction as Samsung latest S22 standard model only has actually a smaller battery than its predecessor S21 and this due to all the eco labelling activities and awareness. We are hoping this will continue to grow and more manufacturers following this trend. Energy labelling of mobile phones and tablets – informing consumers about environmental impact The draft regulations on energy labeling of mobile phones and tablets have been published at the end of August and can be found at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12797-Designing-mobile-phones-and-tablets-to-be-sustainable-ecodesign_en https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12798-Energy-labelling-of-mobile-phones-and-tablets-informing-consumers-about-environmental-impact_en Do you want to know more or have any questions? Contact us for a Free Trial of viSer Test Automation Please message us to arrange a chat on how test automation or our test services can help you

Latest Testing News Update Date: 20th October 2022 Android 13 - There are some interesting changes The Android 13 update is finally here after a relatively short beta testing program. The latest version will be available in devices gradually, but we have already seen a number of supported devices. You can view the list of available devices here . At SmartViser we understand the importance and additional workload these upgrades bring both manufacturers but also for operators. We understand that: Manufacturers need to ensure that the new OS will not have any significant impact on the performance of the device and cause any unnecessary regression issues. Operators from the other side also carry out significant testing to ensure their end-users continue to get quality devices with superior Quality of Service and Experience in their network. Our viSer test automation solution is compatible with any device with any OS version making it the ideal tool to run benchmark reports, especially when new software or a new OS is available. There is no need to change any of the test scripts or test plans when testing different devices or OS versions. For this Benchmark Report, we have used the Google Pixel 5 device. They have been tested on Orange France and SFR networks. One device had the Android 12 OS and the other was upgraded to the Android 13 OS. So what did we discover? FILE TRANSFER THROUGHPUTS HTTP Downloads and Uploads In terms of the File Transfer throughputs, we see a marginal difference between the two versions with Android 12 performing better both on the HTTP download and upload. Image from Viser Web Services Analytics Studio FTP Downloads and Uploads On the FTP Side again in the downloads, the Android 12 performs better than the Android 13 version, but we saw a difference in the upload speeds with the Android 13 having a better performance there. CALL PERFORMANCE Performed 50 VoLTE calls on Orange Network. Both versions performed very well and had no call drops or failures. Both versions performed very similarly in the call establishment time and the average time is almost identical. MESSAGING SMS/MMS Tested on 25 SMS messages on a 4G network Both versions performed similarly regarding the time to send an SMS. The Android 13 on average had a longer time during the testing we performed but at a very similar level to Android 12. Viser Web Services offer an additional timeline for each SMS time to send metrics. For MMS the testing was performed 25 times. All tests were successful and again the marginal difference between the two OS. WEB LOADING For web browsing testing. Testing was performed in the 4G area for around 30min. All test cases were automated using the same web pages on each device. The average loading time for both OS versions Android 12 and Android 13 was very similar. BATTERY LIFE Finally, we come to the crucial battery life performance. We have performed a number of activities as an end user will do. Both batteries have been used previously and the capacity is below 90%. In terms of performance. Pixel 5 with Android 12 lasted 13h 33min 12s Pixel 5 with Android 13 lasted 13h 16min 21s No impact on the battery performance has been observed with the two different OS. Conclusion We are very pleased to report that during our benchmark testing we have not found a big gap in terms of performance between the two Android versions. It is very important to test thoroughly during major OS upgrades to identify and fix any issues prior to release in the market. Upgrading from Android 12 to Android 13 for the Pixel 5 it did not have any flaws in terms of performance. This is not always the case as in the past we have observed some regression in terms of battery performance but not this time. On the other side, there is no major improvement in the 5 areas we have benchmarked. This was not the main focus for Android as one of the key features the Android 13 brings is mainly around customisation, App language choice, opt-in notifications and battery management. We are happy to arrange a Free Trial of viSer, our Test Automation Solution where device manufacturers can test any device without any limitations on the number of tests or test devices required. Check how Android 13 will impact the performance of your devices. Equally, if you are a Mobile Network Operator with an increased testing workload due to the Android 13 speak to us today on how test automation can help you with the validation and benchmark,

Press Release: SmartViser ensures a strong presence in forthcoming Telecom Events to support development in Africa Date: 20th October 2022 SmartViser an industry leader in test automation products announce a series of events participation in the African region to address the pressing needs of Mobile Network Operators and Regulators in the continent and contribute to their long-term growth and success. With an increasing fast-paced advance in Telecom Technology, Mobile Network Operators and other Telecoms players are looking to assure the quality of new services like IMS, 5G, and VoLTE for solutions, improving their end user's experience while reducing costs and time. SmartViser offers plug-and-play test automation products that are easy to set up and don’t require additional equipment or huge upfront payments for set-up. The innovative solution viSer can convert any device into an automated testing probe allowing to: Validate the quality of mobile services for 2/3/4/5G, IMS, VoLTE, VoWiFi, etc. Enhancing the Customer Experience view using the results from ANY Android device at ANY location Benchmark the network performance against the competition in static and mobility scenarios Evaluate the Voice Quality for Cellular and OTT services with an industry-standard methodology POLQA Deliver world-class automated Device Validation Constantinos Panayiotou, Sales Manager for SmartViser highlights that "SmartViser solutions offer proven results in the region with the successful completion of trials that are now progressing to the next phase. I am confident we can help several operators in the African continent regardless of their size to reduce costs and time while offering a superior Quality of Service and Experience to their end users.” The SmartViser test automation solution, viSer covers over 100 KPIs on a wide number of test cases like voice calls, audio/voice quality MOS score (POLQA TM), data throughput, network coverage, messaging, browsing and much more. It covers all the main key requirements for Regulators in the African region to run campaigns by optimising their testing. Thierry Le Bihan, Business Development Manager for SmartViser adds that "working over the last 12 months with Regulators in the African region we were able to understand their needs and propose a test automation methodology with powerful analytics that provides actionable insights into the performance of local networks. We were thrilled to work and support Regulators in Africa that are looking to further drive the development of the Telecommunications sector” The new SmartViser development strategy for the African region was initially introduced by the Company CEO Gilles Ricordel, during Mobile World Congress 2022 in Barcelona. Meet SmartViser in Africa at the following events during October and November 2022: Mobile World Congress Africa Date: 25-27 October 2022 Venue: Kigali Convention Centre, Kigali, Rwanda Africa Tech Festival Date: 8-10 November 2022 Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa Stand B50 Business France Pavilion To arrange a meeting go to: https://www.smartviser.com/events Or email us at: contact@smartviser.com About SmartViser SmartViser with long telecoms expertise and customer-centric innovation has developed the standalone test automation suite viSer that allows OEMs, ODMs, Mobile Operators, MVNOs, Regulators and any company offering Telecom Services to test, benchmark, monitor, troubleshoot or measure QoS/QoE on devices, connectivity, and mobile network technology. SmartViser launched its first ViserMark Label to measure battery life performance translating mAh into straightforward battery life scores. Thus, allowing smartphone manufacturers to improve their battery life performance and offer superior quality of experience for their end-users. Headquartered in Rennes France and with an international presence, we are fully committed to supporting our customers and are proud to collaborate with key players in the industry. Our mission is to provide cutting-edge innovation to help our customers succeed in today’s fast-evolving technologies and environments. You can find more information about SmartViser and its innovative software on the Web at www.smartviser.com and ViserMark at: www.visermark.com Press Contact: info@smartviser.com

The SmartViser Team The SmartViser team attended the MWC Africa in Kigali, Rwanda from the 25th of October to the 27th of October. During this time, we attended a number of keynote sessions and listened to very interesting discussions about 5G technology and Use Cases in Africa. One particular session was called the 5G Summit. Introduction The 5G Summit at MWC Africa brought together leaders and professionals from different governmental authorities, the mobile industry and associated sectors to share their vision and expectations for the 5G technology in Africa. In Africa, the journey to 5G is still in the early stages of network deployment and commercialisation. There are currently less than 11 commercial 5G networks in the region, but this will change as governments and operators in more than 40 countries across Africa expect commercial 5G to be available in their markets by 2025. In the coming years, as stakeholders take steps to accelerate the transition to 5G, we will see the use of the latest mobile network technology to tackle the biggest challenges in local and regional levels. Notes from the 5G Summit Challenges During the 5G Summit, it was obvious that the 5G implementation, monetisation and adoption are very challenging. The 5G technology requires huge investments from mobile network operators with expensive cost models and high prices for acquiring the required spectrum. There are questionable practices on how to migrate subscribers from 2G/3G to more expensive 4G/5G devices since there is a need from all African countries to have access to affordable 5G devices. Also mentioned was that 5G requires more energy than the other technologies, and providing these high-quality services incurred higher costs as remote sites are running on diesel in - conjunction with the current oil prices. One of the slides presented during the session showed that the current live 5G subscriptions in the African continent reached 237K. Therefore, 79% of the mobile subscriptions are still under 2G/3G from the total of ~500M subscribers. Please see below: Approach to 5G adoption in Africa Although several challenges were mentioned and related to the expansion of 5G in Africa, there were more optimistic messages. Stakeholders, like regulators, policymakers, operators and technology vendors, spoke about how they wanted to move forward. Also, regionally, they wish to close the loop towards 5G monetization, innovation and digitalization. The 5G Summit highlighted that 5G technology was not just an ICT/Telecom problem to solve but an ecosystem that requires players outside the traditional stakeholders. The entire spectrum of various industries that will support this ecosystem must be onboard. Support will be needed in the policymaking process, the planning process and network implementation. Use Cases that can address the challenges in the predominantly agriculture-based economies in the region will contribute to a solution. Therefore, 5G is not about rolling out the network but finding the correct Use Case by taking advantage of the innovations that the newest technology can bring. Additionally, there is a lot of momentum with the deployment of private networks to solve local IT problems with local mobile networks. A private network translates to having the power of connectivity in an organization’s own premises, unlocking many new Use Cases, especially in densely populated cities with big enterprises in Africa. Conclusion The 5G summit in MWC in Africa reiterated that the newest technology is not just an evolution from 4G. In Africa, 5G expansion is a social project that requires policy enablement and cross-industrial collaboration. By addressing the right challenges with new Use Cases and distinct private networks, 5G can deliver services across different industries, not previously possible. Do you want to know more or have any questions? Contact us for a Free Trial of viSer Test Automation Please message us to arrange a chat on how test automation or our test services can help you Constantinos Panayiotou is a Sales Manager for SmartViser with extensive international business development and account management helping companies convert telecom challenges into revenue growth. Costantino's primary responsibility is to develop the viSer test automation business in the MEA region and brings more than 18 years of telecom experience of which the last 10 years are in the test and measurement field of mobile networks. Costantinos specializes in test automation and active service assurance fields with multiple years of experience from vendor and operator perspectives. Tests & Measurements for 2/3/4/5G, IoT, and Core networks are some areas of expertise to support organizations improve QoE and QoS.

Rennes, France – December 2022 2022 has been the first year following the success of the vaccine rollout globally which allowed us to travel again and meet after two challenging years. 2022 though, has not started without challenges and the war in Ukraine has been heart-breaking for the people in Ukraine and the surrounding regions. Reflection on 2022 Despite the many challenges that 2022 has brought it has been one of the busiest years for Smart V iser and Viser Ma r k and it has created many opportunities to meet with our customers and partners across the world. We have exhibited in four main events this year starting with the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, then Asia Tech in Singapore, TCCA Critical Communications in Vienna, and ending with Africa Com in Cape Town. In terms of business, we have seen our customer base continue to grow and we have also expanded to new business sectors and geographical regions: Expanded our geographical territory in the Middle East with the first Mobile Network Operator in the region to deploy viSer test automation with very positive feedback. We have expanded our business to new Industries with a particular interest in setting up Private Networks and started working in July 2022 with one of the world's most used Mobile Cores for private LTE and 5G We have welcomed new OEMs using our test automation solution and testing services across our extensive network with local testers available in Europe, the US, and other locations We have continued to support our customers during the SFR certification as an SFR-accredited lab We have entered the African market working with a Regulator in the region and started five trials with Mobile Network Operators. For more on our Africa involvement, you can read the Tech Africa News here and our press release is available here Worked with the EU Commission in defining the policy and testing strategy for the Energy Efficiency Index label. As part of the EEI activity, we participated in the panel discussions organised by Fraunhofer IZM at IFA 2022 in Berlin Lastly following our involvement in Private Networks testing we are now proud members of EUWENA. We will make further announcements on new projects in 2023 including a large utility company and an airport. Stay tuned Our R&D team has been working on several topics and brought some new key features to our test automation solution viSer . Among these were: Further improvement of the Remote Testing Function in our test automation solution viSer means testing can be triggered from any location Released the first iOS version to selected customers and plan to roll it out to more customers in the new year Released a new Web dashboard analytics the Viser Web Services Studio which allows you to build your own dashboard with the data you want to monitor and analyse Enhanced the Audio MOS solution to cover OTT (like Viber, and WhatsApp calls) as well as cellular calls Enhanced 5G capabilities for both SA and NSA And last but not least, we are working on an enhanced version of viSer which includes additional traces, from low-layer information for deeper investigation and troubleshooting. Further announcements on this topic will be made in 2023 Smartphone Battery Life and Energy Efficiency Following the successful launch of Viser Mark in 2020 we have continued to further fine-tune and bring new features that our customers and end users benefit from. In 2021 we have released the world's first Energy Efficiency label for Smartphones. We are now pleased to announce a new label that will show the annual energy consumption of the device. Along the circular and sustainability initiatives across the world, we are all passionate about contributing and making a change. We are looking to empower smartphone manufacturers with test automation products and solutions that will help them create the best products and also help end users make the best choices when buying a new smartphone. You will start seeing the new label from January 2023 on the Viser Mark website and social media channels. In the last couple of years at Smart V iser , we are on a mission to highlight the smartphone battery energy efficiency topic and work with manufacturers across the world to improve battery performance for smartphones and tablets. We are looking to empower smartphone manufacturers with test automation products and solutions that will help them create the best products and also help end users make the best choices when buying a new smartphone. Meet us at MWC 2023 For 2023 will continue for the eighth time to exhibit at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Our stand will be at Hall 5 French Tech Pavilion. If you are planning to attend, please contact us for a meeting to introduce Smart V iser and Viser Mark and demonstrate some of the key features and capabilities. I would like to say a personal thank you to everyone at Smart V iser for your effort, hard work, and commitment. My heartfelt thanks to all our customers, partners and friends for your continued support and trust throughout the year. I wish you all Merry Christmas and a happy, peaceful, healthy, and prosperous year in 2023. Kind regards Gilles Ricordel CEO Smart V iser and Viser Mark

Rennes, France – January 2023 The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) opened its doors on the 5th of January and takes place at the start of each year in Las Vegas. It’s a great place to see the latest gadgets, must-see products and wacky innovations that could become the future of tech. Once again, the event was both available for virtual and physical visitors. According to the organisers, the number of visitors reached 115,000 which is good to see that attendance is growing after the Covid -19 pandemic. The last show prior to the pandemic in 2020 managed 171,000 attendees. What are the key new and some now so new trends in CES this year: Smartphone contortionist screens are foldable and bendy This year at CES we have seen the screen taking the central point with many manufacturers trying to gain a unique competitive advantage with the screen technology. Foldable and slidable concepts that we have seen in previous years also made an appearance, but the trend seems to be the flexible screens. Samsung has managed to get a lot of attention with their flex hybrid screen which folds and slides. As these were presented by Samsung display unit and Samsung Electronics it may be some time until we see them in the shops. For more information on Samsung flex displays please click here . Credit Image: Samsung Satellite Communications In 2022 Apple has introduced a new feature for the iPhone 14 the Emergency SOS which allows the device to connect to satellites to send emergency texts. Qualcomm announced at the start of 2023 the Snapdragon Satellite which will allow devices to connect and send satellite messages when there is no cellular signal coverage available. Credit Image: Qualcomm Qualcomm according to their press release has partnered with Iridium which already has a communications satellite array in low orbit and allows weather-resilient L-band spectrum for uplink and downlink. Any Android device with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip will be able to send two-way messages using satellites. This means that next-generation devices launched in selected regions initially from the second half of 2023 will have this feature enabled. Their presentation showed that in order for this to work the device should be pointed at the sky and they have promised global pole-to-pole coverage. For more information on Snapdragon Satellite, please visit the Snapdragon Connect page . 5G Progress In all previous years, 5G was the central point of CES but in 2023 it was a low-key affair and did not appear as a major topic in the panels. Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg highlighted the 5G topic in both his keynotes in 2019 and 2021 explaining 5G will enable new use cases from driverless cars to remote surgeries. AT&T and T-Mobile delivered similar keynotes in previous events. In 2023 5G did not feature hardly at all. Most devices now do support 5G and there is scattered coverage by most operators in Europe, the US and Asia but the most innovative and transformative aspects of 5G are still under work and not available yet. The technology that will enable all the promised use cases has not moved to the next level yet. The talk on 6G has already started and we are expecting to see 6G taking the central stage very soon. Meet us at MWC 2023 CES does tend to set the theme for key technology events in 2023. Our next event is the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Smart V iser will be showcasing its innovative products on test automation for device and network testing. Our stand is 5B41-1 in Hall 5 within the French Tech Pavilion. If you are planning to attend, book a meeting with us or please contact us for further information about our Test Automation Solution viSer . Susie Siouti is the Chief Commercial Officer for SmartViser helping organisations in the Telecommunications industry offer superior end-user quality of experience and service with the introduction of innovative test automation products. Susie has 20 years of experience in the Telecoms industry and in that time has led teams across the world mainly in Testing and Compliance. Holding an MBA from Henley Business School brings a diverse set of skills and expertise, including business acumen, strategic thinking, financial management, sales and marketing expertise, leadership, and innovation. Susie joined SmartViser in 2016, is part of the internal steering committee , responsible for developing and implementing the company's commercial strategy and encouraging a customer-centric culture. The main mission is to help organizations to create value by offering better quality products and services by improving operational efficiency and innovation.

2022 has been the year that Mobile Network Operators have been in a race to put in place roaming agreements with other MNOs. One main drive behind this is the imminent network shutdowns with around 51 operators across the world already completed their shutdown of either 2G or 3G and in some cases both. This change is pushing Mobile Network operators to ensure there is substantial capacity and coverage for new technologies like VoLTE and VoWiFi. The end users on the other hand are encouraged to upgrade their devices to 4G with IMS capabilities. Smartphone manufacturers need to enable IMS services by default on all their devices and ensure adequate testing for smooth interoperability across all networks. You can learn more about the 2G/3G Network shutdown status by reading the recently updated blog As the network shutdowns continue to gain momentum the Mobile Network Operators need to ensure that their end users have the same quality of experience while on the domestic network and abroad. With legacy networks gradually being phased out is it important that the new IMS technologies are fully supported and tested by device manufacturers who are planning to launch devices across the world. SmartViser offers a wide aspect of testing services to ensure Quality of Experience (QoE) and Quality of Service (QoS) for all IMS services with a unique combination of test automation products and test locations across the world. Full IMS Testing Coverage Domestic and Roaming 1) Send your devices to your target country (For the full list of supported countries get in touch ) 2) Define your testing scope or a Test Expert from SmartViser can help you define it 3) Get the results in the agreed timeframe. For any failures, logs will be provided and re-testing can be arranged with the team. Top Categories for IMS testing Domestic and Roaming VoLTE , VoWiFi, ViLTE, including Audio voice MOS score POLQA SMS, MMS over IP, RCS Supplementary services Emergency Calls For more in-depth information on VoLTE roaming testing, you can check GSMA IR25 VoLTE Roaming Testing v5.0 Do you want to know more?

Introduction Voice Quality is a key metric for end-user experience and many Mobile Network Operators and Regulators alike see it as a measure of service of excellence. It is true that nowadays assessment of Audio MOS quality or voice experience evaluation is part of all regulator's assessments across the world. With the various transitions of technology from circuit switch 2G and 3G voice services to packet switch services with the introduction of Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) and soon Voice over New Radio (VoNR) is important to assess the voice experience on all these technologies. The usage of Over the top (OTT) voice Apps services like WhatsApp and Viber is also stronger than ever posing an additional requirement for Regulators and Mobile Network Operators or communication service providers (CSPs) to assess the voice MOS scope of these technologies as well. At SmartViser we have run an extensive testing campaign using our test automation product viSer together with our audio MOS solution using POLQA algorithm to assess the voice experience and speech quality MOS using three devices: iPhone 14 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Testing Configuration Testing has been performed under the SFR network in Rennes France in February 2023. The testing environment was static and the following cellular and OTT technologies and voice services were tested: 3G VoLTE VoWiFi WhatsApp Viber Microsoft Teams 15 calls were performed in each technology for each manufacturer. The OTT tests were conducted on a cellular network using auto network selection. The devices were not forced to select a particular codec or technology in order to emulate a realistic user experience. viSer test automation was used to ensure all the KPIs are collected, reliability, and repeatability of the testing. Together with ViSer test automation the add-on viSer Audio MOS solution using the POLQA algorithm was also used for the accurate measurement of the audio quality. POLQA™ MOS scores: Score 1: means that despite great effort, it is impossible to understand what is being said during the call (the call repeatedly cuts in and out) Score 2: means the quality is not good and a lot of effort is needed to understand Score 3: indicates an acceptable level of quality and fairly understandable conversation Score 4: is a good quality level, understandable with minor interference noise Score 5: is an excellent quality level, understandable discussion without interference noise Results 3G iPhone 14 Pro Pixel 7 Pro Samsung S22 Ultra Average MOS 3.08 3.36 3.39 Min MOS 2.69 2.72 2.85 Max MOS 3.8 3.59 3.88 At 3G both Pixel 7 Pro and Samsung S22 Ultra had a similar performance whilst the iPhone 14 Pro had an average score of 10% less. A score of around 3 indicates an acceptable level of quality and fairly understandable conversation. When the score drops below 3 it impacts the end-user experience negatively as a lot of effort is needed to understand what is being spoken. VoLTE iPhone 14 Pro Pixel 7 Pro Samsung S22 Ultra Average MOS 3.27 4.17 3.58 Min MOS 3.13 3.99 3.49 Max MOS 3.37 4.31 3.65 For the VoLTE part, it was surprising that both iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung S22 Ultra were below 4 on average. An average of 3.8 and above is normally expected for VoLTE calls but this can vary depending on devices and mobile network operators. Pixel 7 Pro performed very well on VoLTE calls. VoWiFi iPhone 14 Pro Pixel 7 Pro Samsung S22 Ultra Average MOS 3.23 3.86 3.41 Min MOS 2.67 3.45 2.8 Max MOS 3.44 4.12 3.62 On The VoWiFi we have seen similar values to VoLTE with the Pixel 7 Pro consistently performing better than the iPhone 14 Pro and the Samsung S22 Ultra. WhatsApp iPhone 14 Pro Pixel 7 Pro Samsung S22 Ultra Average MOS 4.06 4.25 3.94 Min MOS 3.89 4.16 3.22 Max MOS 4.16 4.3 4.26 For the WhatsApp assessment, we have seen excellent results from all three manufacturers. An average close to 4 is a very good result and offers a really good Quality of Experience. Viber iPhone 14 Pro Pixel 7 Pro Samsung S22 Ultra Average MOS 3.08 3.35 3.48 Min MOS 3.04 3.3 3.42 Max MOS 3.16 3.42 3.54 Viber had slightly lower average scores with some minimum scores reaching 3 which means the quality is not good and a lot of effort is needed to understand. Again both Pixel 7 Pro and Samsung S22 Ultra had similar results with the iPhone 14 Pro falling slightly behind. Microsoft Teams iPhone 14 Pro Pixel 7 Pro Samsung S22 Ultra Average MOS 3.70 4.01 4.04 Min MOS 3.51 3.95 3.91 Max MOS 3.83 4.07 4.13 For Microsoft Teams we see a similar average across all manufacturers to 4 indicates a good quality level. Conclusion For the majority of the testing, there were no big surprises. Both Pixel 7 and the Samsung S22 Ultra had really good performance all around with the Apple 14 Pro slightly behind. WhatsApp is offering the best quality of experience on Voice Calls across the three manufacturers tested with average scores close to 4, offering a good QoE. This testing provides a short snapshot of the quality at a certain time with one Mobile Network Operator. Further testing will be planned with additional Mobile Network Operators and smartphone devices and results will be shared in the coming months. While our benchmark results demonstrate the capabilities of our test automation solution, viSer, it's important to note that determining which smartphone offers a better voice quality experience is not an absolute conclusion. To find out more about SmartViser and schedule a demo of the products and solutions you get in touch now to arrange. To arrange a free trial please click below. Once the request is received a team member will get in touch to set up a call to discuss your main challenges that need to be addressed with the trial.