The Over the air (OTA) test is a process to understand the performance and reliability of a wireless device. OTA testing is a way to know the designed or selected device’s performance, by measuring its signal and antenna efficiency. Since the OTA testing is a requirement for cellular telecommunications and internet association, it is authorized by many regulatory agencies, standard organizations, industrial bodies, and telecom carrier services. Anritsu & ETS-Lindgren combine to introduce 5G NR OTA measurement solution. Qualcomm Technologies to introduce lab for end-to-end OTA configuration for 5G mmWave. According to a report by Allied Market Research, the global over-the-air (OTA) testing industry is expected to grow at a significant CAGR from 2018–2025. Following are certain measures taken by the companies.
Anritsu & ETS-Lindgren combine to introduce 5G NR OTA Measurement solution:
Collaborating together, the companies are rising the ways to improve LTE solutions. Anritsu, a Japanese multinational company and ETS-Lindgren, an India-based private firm, announced a combination of Anritsu’s Radio Communication Test Station MT8000A for 5g OTA testing along with ETS-Lindgren EMQuest EMQ-100 Antenna Measurement Software. The accurate and flexible solution permits the user Equipment (UE) developers and manufacturers to distinguish and approve the 5G OTA conduction of their designs. This way, the existing customers become able to improve their LTE solutions to carry 5G new Radio (NR) due to this collaboration.
The MT8000A test platform by Anritsu supports the new 5G technologies, such as wideband signal processing and beam firming, which is needed by 5G NR enhance mobile broadband (eMBB). Apart from this, sub-6ghz (FR) and millimeter wave (mmWave) band (FR2) signaling RF tests covering 400 MHZ to 6ghz, also the 28 GHz and 39 GHz 5G NR bands are supported by MT8000A. Both the non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) modes are supported by the MT8000A. It can also be coupled with LTE-A Radio Communication Analyzer MT8821C to provide an upgrade path to 5G for LTE customers. The MT8000A is a 3GPP Release 16-ready and is identified as the most stable, accurate and flexible 5G platform for RF testing in the industry.
Qualcomm Technologies introducing lab for OTA configuration for 5G mmWave:
A 5g mmWave lab and testing facility by Qualcomm, where Sony becomes its first Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to take the advantage.
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subordinate of Qualcomm Incorporated, has declared an enlargement of its 5G NR testing facilities, to involve a new lab-created for the end-to-end OTA configuration for 5G mmWave.
The new 5G mmWave lab and test facility will be located at the research and development (R&D) center of Qualcomm Technologies, in Farnborough, UK. The Wave Lab and test facility will indicate and assist the capabilities of commercialization of 5G NR mmWave, by allowing OEMs and European operators for testing and fine-tuning the mmWave devices and network configuration.
Qualcomm Technologies and Sony have announced that Sony will be the first OEM to utilize the lab, which is getting launched by 5G R&D facility. A pre-commercial mmWave mobile form factor devices will be provided by Sony, to the facility for capacity, throughput, latency and reliability test of mmWave in multiple deployments scenes.
mmWaves brings huge capacity, multi-Gigabit peak throughput, and low-latency connectivity to smartphones and Laptops for a heavy urban environment, indoor venues, and enterprises. Since 5G has the ability to carry higher data rates for users, it proves to be perfect for utilization in high-density indoor environments including stadiums and shopping centers, as a supporting technology for sub-6 5G utilizations.
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Fibocom selected Keysight’s 5G test solutions 5G RF DVT Toolset:
A 5G network emulation solution will boost the validation of 5G new radio modules (NR) in devices.
Fibocom Wireless Inc., a China-based IoT & Mobile Internet communication company, has selected the 5G network emulation solutions 5G RF DVT Toolset, by Keysight Technologies, Inc. an America-based technology company. The 5G network emulation solutions are subjected to boost development and validation of 5g new radio modules for the PC market.
Fibocom has selected Keysight suite of 5G network emulation solutions, in order to support its goal to supply connected mobile ecosystems with commercial 5G-powered internet of things (IoT) modules. The users can attain rapid validation of device performance and consistency results, by using similar test tools and test cases across the ecosystem. Keysight motives to provide a comprehensive mobile device performance validation capability in OTA test environments by combining its 5G network emulation solution with purpose-built and proven chambers.
OTA tests are important, as it tests the performance of a wireless device, that may degrade due to certain reasons. If the antenna’s that are providing the signal is placed in a miserable condition or the user carries or holds it in a wrong way, the device may suffer low LTE uplink and downlink speeds. Mostly the manufacturers of Internet of Thing (IoT) and M2M device requires OTA certified products as they reduce complexity, reform potentially costly design errors and meet the demands in the global market. The increasing use of IoT and Smart devices are one of the major keys for enlarging the global OTA testing market. Advancing the testing technologies will bring growth to the OTA market.