The ability to test network and device features and functions is an important piece of technology development and deployment. RCR Wireless looks weekly at the test and measurement space to see what’s afoot.
—Agilent Technologies says it now has the industry’s first LTE-Advanced uplink 4×4 MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) signal generation solution for verifying eNodeB receivers for both FDD and TDD LTE-Advanced, by adding the UL 4×4 MIMO support to its N7624B/25B Signal Studio software.
The company noted that Release 10 of LTE-A requires eNodeBs to support up to 8×8 MIMO in the downlink (which Agilent already supports), and 4×4 MIMO uplink in user equipment. Signal Studio enables engineers to generate a simulated 4×4 MIMO signal and download waveforms into multiple signal generators or a baseband generator and channel emulator for use during eNodeB receiver tests.
“This capability is ideal for R&D engineers working in LTE-A early engagement, where access to real [user equipment] is generally not available,” according to the Agilent.
–At the Competitive Carriers Association conference this week, device assessment company (and CCA member) Apkudo announced that it is partnering with the trade group to launch the CCA Device Hub, centralizing device information in an effort to create specifications that will simplify and accelerate the device launch process for small and rural carriers.
The hub will serve as a place for carrier representatives to gather, interact and collaborate, and Apkudo said that information from participating carriers will be consolidated to create “SmartSpecs,” or a common device specifications that can be used by the carriers, device manufacturers and distributors.
Steven Berry, CCA president and CEO, called the platform “a game-changer for our members, especially for smaller carriers who do not have the scope and scale to access the latest devices.” He added that the Device Hub “[allows] carriers to pool their resources to create a ‘Virtual Tier-1’ operator.”
—Anritsu focused on public safety this week at the International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) in Las Vegas. Its big news was that the company has developed the industry’s first PTCRB-approved protocol test for IMS emergency services. That test case is available on Anritsu’s ME7834L Protocol Conformance Test (PCT) and Carrier Acceptance Test (CAT) system. Anritsu said it is currently the only supplier of such test cases, which are on the radar of both the PTCRB and the GCF for support.
Anritsu also showcased its other solutions for testing public safety networks, including TETRA, at IWCE 2014.
—Rohde & Schwarz said this week that it was pleased with the recent World Air Traffic Management Congress in Madrid. The new show is in its second year but had more than 6,200 registered attendees by its end. R&S took the opportunity to tout its fully IP-based virtual center concept for air traffic control, a new emergency radio communications system and the latest release of some remote control and monitoring software. Rohde & Schwarz also gave what it said was the world’s first demonstration of the R&S Series 4200 radio’s ability for Detection of Simultaneous Transmission (DSiT), which is the ability to detect when pilots from different aircraft are communicating with the same air traffic controller, a situation where the weaker signal might be missed. R&S’s radio can detect a double transmission and alert the controller.
—Spirent Communications had several big pieces of news this week, starting with a win from China Mobile‘s research division, China Mobile Reseach Institute. Spirent’s Landslide solution was chosen to verify the performance of China Mobile’s Evolved Packet Core (EPC). China Mobile also used Landslide to test its 3G packet core.
Meanwhile, PCTest Lab in Maryland added Spirent’s 8100 Mobile Device Test System to its facility in order to expand its Voice over LTE/IMS testing to include IMS, RCS and VoLTE E911. Spirent also works with PCTest on over-the-air antenna performance testing.
Spirent also this week launched a new advanced navigation and positioning test system that can simulate signals from all GNSS and regional navigation systems: the GSS9000 Multi-Frequency, Multi-GNSS RF Constellation Simulator.
—JDSU was selected by Belgacom in Belgium to provide its ariesoGO platform for planning and optimizing the mobile operator’s 2G, 3G and LTE networks.
JDSU also introduced a more compact chassis aimed at reducing the test station footprint and overhead for optical network testing as networks are upgraded for 100 and 400G, as well as the new LightDirect test modules for optical test signals in automated test stations.
–As part of its newly upgraded IxChariot suite, Ixia has introduced IxChariot 8.0 and IxChariot Pro to provide IT departments with support for more easily planning and conducting end-to-end network assessments that mimic real-world applications and predict the performance of the network, devices and system under realistic load scenarios from a web browser.
—PCTel Inc. has launched a new software-defined transmitter for testing in-building wireless networks. The new SeeGull CW transmitter can process up to four continuous wave signals from 400 MHz to 2.6 GHz, reducing overall testing time with the ability to examine two or four unique frequencies in one walk test.
The battery-operated unit is available as a stand-alone product or as part of PCTel’s in-building testing suite (IBTS) packages. Once the transmitter begins sending a signal, PCTel’s scanning receiver line can be used to collect the data and its SeeHawk solution or other post-processing tool can analyze it.
“There is nothing more valuable than real RF data at different frequencies, but real in-building data can be expensive to collect,” said David Neumann, PCTEL’s Vice President and General Manager, RF Solutions. “The four-port transmitter will significantly cut testing time for engineers currently using a single-transmit solution to test multiple operator frequencies. This saves valuable time and expense in the race to deploy in-building networks.”
