The latest advancements in testing and deployment of emerging cellular technologies took center stage at the two-day Mobile Test Summit, held in November 2024 and hosted by test and measurement specialist Rohde & Schwarz at its headquarters in Munich.
The event brought together international experts to speak on the trends, technical challenges and enablement of a number of emerging technologies, from 5G-Advanced to 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), as well as developments in private networks and mission-critical communications. The speaker line-up ran the gamut from chip and equipment makers, to the European Space Agency, Fraunhofer IIS and Nokia Bell Labs as well as network operators including Deutsche Telekom, O2 Telefónica, A1 Croatia and satellite operator OQ Technology.
Here are a few of the highlights from the Mobile Test Summit.
5G Non-Terrestrial Networks. Satellite communications, to this point in development, have all been based on proprietary standards. But with 3GPP Rel 17, NTN has a common, standardized path forward. “This is actually the first time that maybe satellite networks could be interoperable, and we see many of the operators embarking on these standards,” said Frank Zeppenfeldt, who heads up Future Projects for the European Space Agency, during his remarks at the summit. He highlighted multiple NTN projects that ESA has funded which are in development: One that involves exploring distributed network functions in space, with a Distributed Unit (DU) and (CU) flying on separate satellites connected via optical link; and the 6G Sterling project to put what will essentially be a test-bed satellite in space.
The summit also included first-hand perspective from both Deutsche Telekom on the operator opportunity for NTN, and from European LEO satellite operator OQ—which already provides IoT connectivity and is working on roaming integrations with Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica and exploring direct-to-device capabilities to connect smartphones. The event also included demonstrations and observations from Rohde & Schwarz’s testing expertise in NTN, including emulation of satellite-based service links, gateway-based feeder links and terrestrial network infrastructure.
Energy efficiency also received deep-dive analysis, from the likes of Fraunhofer IIS, Nokia and Deutsche Telekom, among others. Andreas Gladisch, senior network architect for Deutsche Telekom, offered perspective on how the network operator has managed to keep its overall energy consumption stable while facing a 25% increase in data traffic over the last four years. In particular, Gladisch highlighted the need for a holistic strategy on network efficiency: Not only energy-efficient equipment, but also energy-efficient architectures where components might be combined or spare capacity better utilized, and energy-efficient planning that considers energy-related considerations as well as Capex KPIs. Additional sessions on energy put new innovations in the spotlight such as wireless IoT sensors that utilize energy harvesting for power, and enabling wireless power transfer for IoT.
The path from 5G-Advanced to 6G Reiner Stuhlfauth, Technology Manager for Wireless with Rohde & Schwarz, outlined the six-part “wish list” that standardization bodies have been given by the International Telecommunications Union for 6G: Precision positioning capabilities in the range of 1-10 centimeters, AI-related capabilities, interoperability, sustainability, coverage and sensing-related capabilities. While Stuhlfauth gave a breakdown of how some of those may play out and the related areas of current research, Rohde & Schwarz Technology Manager for Wireless Meik Kottkamp gave the audience a more detailed look into the work around the integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) use case. Alvaro Valcarce Rial, who is head of department on Wireless AI/ML for Nokia Bell Labs in France, joined the summit to share insights on the development of the so-called AI-AI: the AI-native air interface, which would replace some of the traditional functions of the radio receiver with AI models.
The event also included an exhibition, including hands-on experiences and expert advice, which featured the full spectrum of Rohde & Schwarz test solutions addressed in the sessions.
Watch recordings of all sessions from the Mobile Test Summit by registering here, as part of the Knowledge+ content from Rohde & Schwarz.
