diff --git a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/osmocon.py b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/osmocon.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b1e145
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/osmocon.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+# osmo_gsm_tester: specifics for running an osmocon
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2018 by sysmocom - s.f.m.c. GmbH
+#
+# Author: Pau Espin Pedrol <pespin@sysmocom.de>
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+# published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+# License, or (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+import os
+import tempfile
+
+from . import log, util, process
+from .event_loop import MainLoop
+
+class Osmocon(log.Origin):
+    suite_run = None
+    run_dir = None
+    process = None
+    sk_tmp_dir = None
+
+    FIRMWARE_FILE="opt/osmocom-bb/target/firmware/board/compal_e88/layer1.compalram.bin"
+
+    def __init__(self, suite_run, conf):
+        serial_device = conf.get('serial_device')
+        if serial_device is None:
+            raise log.Error('osmocon_phone contains no attr "serial_device"')
+        self.serial_device = os.path.realpath(serial_device)
+        super().__init__(log.C_RUN, 'osmocon_%s' % os.path.basename(self.serial_device))
+        self.suite_run = suite_run
+        self.conf = conf
+        self.sk_tmp_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp('', 'ogtosmoconsk')
+        if len(self.l2_socket_path().encode()) > 107:
+            raise log.Error('Path for l2 socket is longer than max allowed len for unix socket path (107):', self.l2_socket_path())
+        if len(self.loader_socket_path().encode()) > 107:
+            raise log.Error('Path for loader socket is longer than max allowed len for unix socket path (107):', self.loader_socket_path())
+
+    def l2_socket_path(self):
+        return os.path.join(self.sk_tmp_dir, 'osmocom_l2')
+
+    def loader_socket_path(self):
+        return os.path.join(self.sk_tmp_dir, 'osmocom_loader')
+
+    def start(self):
+        self.log('Resetting the phone')
+        # TODO: make sure the pone is powered off before starting osmocon
+
+        self.log('Starting osmocon')
+        self.run_dir = util.Dir(self.suite_run.get_test_run_dir().new_dir(self.name()))
+
+        inst = util.Dir(os.path.abspath(self.suite_run.trial.get_inst('osmocom-bb')))
+
+        binary = inst.child('sbin', 'osmocon')
+        if not os.path.isfile(binary):
+            raise RuntimeError('Binary missing: %r' % binary)
+        lib = inst.child('lib')
+        if not os.path.isdir(lib):
+            raise RuntimeError('No lib/ in %r' % inst)
+
+        env = { 'LD_LIBRARY_PATH': util.prepend_library_path(lib) }
+
+        firmware_path = os.path.join(str(inst), Osmocon.FIRMWARE_FILE)
+        if not os.path.isfile(firmware_path):
+            raise RuntimeError('Binary missing: %r' % firmware_path)
+        self.dbg(run_dir=self.run_dir, binary=binary, env=env)
+        self.process = process.Process(self.name(), self.run_dir,
+                                       (binary, '-p', self.serial_device,
+                                       '-m', 'c123xor',
+                                       '-s', self.l2_socket_path(),
+                                       '-l', self.loader_socket_path(),
+                                        firmware_path),
+                                       env=env)
+        self.suite_run.remember_to_stop(self.process)
+        self.process.launch()
+        self.log('Waiting for osmocon to be up and running')
+        MainLoop.wait(self, os.path.exists, self.l2_socket_path())
+
+    def running(self):
+        return not self.process.terminated()
+
+    def cleanup(self):
+        if self.sk_tmp_dir:
+            try:
+                os.remove(self.l2_socket_path())
+            except OSError:
+                pass
+            try:
+                os.remove(self.loader_socket_path())
+            except OSError:
+                pass
+            os.rmdir(self.sk_tmp_dir)
+
+# vim: expandtab tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4
diff --git a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/resource.py b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/resource.py
index 70d6e8a..28c4117 100644
--- a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/resource.py
+++ b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/resource.py
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@
 R_BTS = 'bts'
 R_ARFCN = 'arfcn'
 R_MODEM = 'modem'
-R_ALL = (R_IP_ADDRESS, R_BTS, R_ARFCN, R_MODEM)
+R_OSMOCON = 'osmocon_phone'
+R_ALL = (R_IP_ADDRESS, R_BTS, R_ARFCN, R_MODEM, R_OSMOCON)
 
 RESOURCES_SCHEMA = {
         'ip_address[].addr': schema.IPV4,
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@
         'modem[].auth_algo': schema.AUTH_ALGO,
         'modem[].ciphers[]': schema.CIPHER,
         'modem[].features[]': schema.MODEM_FEATURE,
+        'osmocon_phone[].serial_device': schema.STR,
     }
 
 WANT_SCHEMA = util.dict_add(
diff --git a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/suite.py b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/suite.py
index 618a39b..db4a8dc 100644
--- a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/suite.py
+++ b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/suite.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 import pprint
 from . import config, log, template, util, resource, schema, test
 from .event_loop import MainLoop
-from . import osmo_nitb, osmo_hlr, osmo_mgcpgw, osmo_mgw, osmo_msc, osmo_bsc, osmo_stp, osmo_ggsn, osmo_sgsn, modem, esme
+from . import osmo_nitb, osmo_hlr, osmo_mgcpgw, osmo_mgw, osmo_msc, osmo_bsc, osmo_stp, osmo_ggsn, osmo_sgsn, modem, esme, osmocon
 
 class Timeout(Exception):
     pass
@@ -332,6 +332,12 @@
         self.register_for_cleanup(esme_obj)
         return esme_obj
 
+    def osmocon(self, specifics=None):
+        conf = self.reserved_resources.get(resource.R_OSMOCON, specifics=specifics)
+        osmocon_obj = osmocon.Osmocon(self, conf=conf)
+        self.register_for_cleanup(osmocon_obj)
+        return osmocon_obj
+
     def msisdn(self):
         msisdn = self.resources_pool.next_msisdn(self)
         self.log('using MSISDN', msisdn)