Abstract: A method of testing a digital mobile phone network such as a GPRS or 3G network comprises either using real traffic or creating test traffic using test mobile phone coupled to a computer, and using the computer to measure a parameter associated with the network's response to the traffic. The measurements made by the computer are themselves sent as traffic to create one or more data streams within the mobile phone network comprising the traffic, measurements relating to the traffic, and signalling relating to the traffic, whereby this data stream or these streams can be captured at interface points within the network and analysed to investigate the functioning of the network dynamically as the network is exercised with the traffic. Software and test equipment for performing the method are also described.

Abstract: A method of sending data over an encrypted packet data communications network, in particular a digital mobile phone network such as a GPRS or 3G network, such that the sent data is readable without decrypting the encrypted packets, the method comprising, coding the data for sending as symbols selected from a set of symbols, each symbol of the set comprising at least one complete packet for encryption; and sending each said symbol over the packet data communications network. Corresponding methods of identifying packets carrying the sent data of recovering the data, and software and test equipment for implementing the methods are also described. The methods facilitate testing of a digital mobile phone network when traffic within the network is encrypted as the sent data may be recovered from a signal tapped at a point within the network without decrypting the data.