Test equipment companies Rohde & Schwarz and Viavi Solutions are expanding the joint solutions offered via their two-year-old collaboration on joint lab testing solutions. In particular, they are focusing on addressing test needs in Open RAN and Non-Terrestrial Networks.
In terms of Open RAN, the two companies noted in a joint release that the technology “has entered the mainstream of network infrastructure,” with several carrier announcements of significant deployment plans. “While subsystem and end-to-end conformance, performance and interoperability remain critical, test needs have grown,” the partners said. Their expanded, integrated offering includes one solution focused on test scalability, simplicity and ease of use for development testing as part of the move toward commercialization; the other O-RAN-focused integrated offering aims to tackle the intricacies of measuring power efficiency in open radio units (O-RUs). The latter test set-up leverages Rohde’s RTO6 oscilloscope, its NGP800 power supply and Viavi’s TM500 O-RU tester.
For NTN, the two companies put together a digital twin testbed that covers LEO, MEO and GEO orbit scenarios, to validate end-to-end connectivity and performance, connection reliability and stability as well as end-user application performance in mobility scenarios. The test set-up includes the R&S CMX500 mobile communication network tester plus Viavi’s TM500-AS2, which Viavi described as a streamlined version of its solution for base station testing; plus Viavi’s TeraVM Real Data Applications (RDA) engine that supports “rich and realistic application and traffic scenarios.”
“It feels great to work with experts,” said Alexander Pabst, VP for the wireless communications market segment at Rohde & Schwarz. “Combining our market leading products to create solutions that address our customers’ problems in smart ways. Energy efficiency tests hit the nerve of the industry, and our smaller footprint setup meets the needs of new segments that are popping up left and right of conformance. In addition, I am extremely pleased to see our collaboration expanding into space with the most compact digital twin solution for NTN. Here, not even the sky is the limit!”
The two companies said that the offerings resulting from the partnership “have established a reputation for compact, flexible solutions drawing from the strengths of both companies while delivering a seamless user experience.
In other test news:
–Anritsu touted the launch of “revolutionary” models of its Site Master MS2085A cable and antenna analyzer and the MS2089A with integrated spectrum analyzer, saying that the new instruments “redefine industry standards for functionality, precision, and user-friendly operation, marking a transformative leap forward in field testing technology.”
The dual offering provides multi-function capabilities and Anritsu said that it is aimed at support of telecom, broadcasting and satellite uses, as a “comprehensive solution for assessing antenna systems, diagnosing wireless networks, or conducting spectrum signal monitoring.
Raymond Chan, Product Manager at Anritsu Corporation, said: “We are thrilled to launch the Site Master MS2085A and MS2089A, signifying a monumental stride in field testing technology. These innovations underscore our dedication to advancing testing and measurement technologies that not only meet but exceed our customers’ evolving requirements across various sectors. They stand as a testament to Anritsu’s unwavering commitment to excellence, setting a new benchmark for field testing proficiency.”
–Infovista has incorporated 5G RedCap network planning and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) coverage and capacity into the latest version of its Planet AIM solution for radio frequency planning. The new capability enables mix-and-match simulation of standalone FWA networks and mixed traffic ofFWA customer premise equipment, mobile devices and RedCap devices, the company said.
“The success of any mobile network starts with the integrity and accuracy of its radio access network design. However, with new technologies such as 5G RedCap and new coverage models such as FWA, the 5G network planning challenge is becoming ever more complex,” said Regis Lerbour, VP of product for RAN engineering and Testing at Infovista. “The ability to model the RF parameters, simulate the full range of devices and services, and visualize network KPIs create a complexity that only an AI-powered RF planning solution can deliver. The release of Planet 7.10 is a significant milestone for the industry as it moves from investment into deployment of new 5G standalone networks.”
–Keysight Technologies reported its fiscal second quarter results this week, and while its numbers are generally down year-on-year, its CEO said that it is seeing high interest in testing hardware and infrastructure for AI data centers. Get the numbers and the details in this story.
–Rohde & Schwarz said that it is the first to meet all of the Global Certification Forum’s criteria for test platform approval for the NTN narrowband IoT RF and radio resource management work items. Rohde’s R&S TS-RRM and R&S TS8980 test platforms were approved by GCF for RF, demodulation and RRM testing for NTN NB-IoT, and the test company said it is the only company to have activated both the NTN NB-IoT radio frequency (RF) and radio resource management (RRM) work items (WI) at GCF.
In other company news, R&S expanded the range of its R&S BBA300 RF amplifier—used for electromagnetic compatibility, RF component tests and co-existence testing—with a 300-watt model. There are actually two models available, one meant to be a less expensive option for the range between 1-6 GHz, and another that provides “full ultra-wide output” from 380 MHz to 6 GHz.
-ICYMI: Opensignal analyzed the broadband experience for users of the five largest national broadband providers: AT&T, Charter, Comcast, T-Mobile US and Verizon. Read the results in this RCR story.
