Unlimited connectivity made real – Rohde & Schwarz exhibits its unique mobile test solutions at MWC Barcelona 2022

The mobile industry is set to come together in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress once again, scheduled to happen from February 28 to March 3, 2022. Under the motto “unlimited connectivity made real,” Rohde & Schwarz will showcase a wide variety of leading test innovations at the Fira Gran Via in hall 5, booth 5A80. The exhibits cover three main themes: ultimate 5G connectivity, the expanded mobile ecosystem and the future of mobile.

Ultimate 5G connectivity

5G is already all around, with unprecedented speed of adoption in devices, mobile network infrastructure and network deployment. Standalone 5G deployments will ramp up even more in 2022 to unleash the true potential of 5G with aggregated frequency bands of up to 52.6 GHz and maximum end-to-end throughputs higher than 10 Gbps. Rohde & Schwarz provides leading-edge test and measurement solutions for the complete 5G ecosystem and all its lifecycle stages – from R&D to manufacturing of devices and infrastructure equipment – and across all the necessary stages for a network operator.

Rohde & Schwarz is bringing its well-established R&S CMX500 5G radio communication tester with a major upgrade to MWC Barcelona 2022. Eliminating the complexities of 5G NR device testing, the new R&S CMX500 one-box tester combines ease-of-use and superior performance in a single instrument. Highly-integrated, users can test 5G mobile devices and chipsets in all possible 5G NR network deployments and frequency ranges with it, including FR1, FR2 and LTE bands. The simplified setup in one easy-to-use test platform results in an extremely small footprint in the lab or the production line. The R&S CMX500 one-box tester is capable of validating 10 Gbps end-to-end (E2E) IP data performance, which is necessary to enable eMBB use cases like 4K and 8K video streaming or augmented reality applications. For more information on this application go to https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/_229356-1135881.html, for the new one-box tester, go to https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/_229356-1175685.html.

The R&S ATS800R compact antenna test range (CATR) based 5G NR mmWave test chamber complements the R&S CMX500 setup at MWC 2022 to demonstrate over-the-air (OTA) testing. With its small footprint, wide frequency range, flexibility and broad range of extension options, the R&S ATS800R provides a solid and future-proof environment for FR2 testing needs.

With the roll out of 5G networks, small cells are gaining momentum. They offer network operators the possibility to increase the capacity of existing wireless networks and meet the demands for data capacity that come with 5G use cases. At MWC Barcelona 2022, Rohde & Schwarz will showcase a new tailored solution designed specifically for testing of small cell infrastructure equipment operating in FR1. The new single-box tester will combine vector signal generator (VSG) and vector signal analyzer (VSA) in one instrument. Two independent TRX channels will cover all FR1 frequency bands up to 8 GHz and offer flexible bandwidth configurations. A comprehensive signal generation and analysis test suite for 5G NR and LTE will provide preconfigured test routines according to 3GPP requirements, which will help manufacturers measure the radio performance of their FR1 small cell access points and related products in the production line, but also in the lab.

For the test of small cell infrastructure equipment operating in mmWave range (FR2), Rohde & Schwarz has upgraded the R&S CMP200 radio communication tester with a new option. Designed for R&D and production environments, the R&S CMP200 is a non-signaling solution for 5G mmWave RF parametric testing. OEMs of FR2 small cells can benefit from the unique features of the R&S CMP200 like ultrafast measurement speed and parallel testing of multiple DUTs in lab and production. More information: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/_229356-1163008.html

In order to make networks ready for the 5G expansion, fast and efficient cable and spectrum measurements at base stations are key. For this application, Rohde & Schwarz has extended its popular rugged handheld R&S Spectrum Rider FPH family with three new base models with tracking generators offering measurement frequencies up to 13.6, 26.5 and 44 GHz. The R&S Spectrum Rider FPH was the industry’s first handheld spectrum analyzer to deliver solid RF performance for measurements in the field and in the lab. Large buttons and a multi-touch gesture screen make the instrument very easy to operate. More information: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/_229356-1135488.html

The disaggregation of radio access networks through Open RAN signifies a major change for infrastructure providers. It is vital to ensure the interoperability of open virtual network equipment from different vendors. Rohde & Schwarz provides high-performance signal generators and signal analyzers to verify the conformance of O-RAN radio units (RU), which support both the O-RAN Alliance and 3GPP test specifications.

To deliver the ultimate 5G device experience, smartphones are not complete without other wireless technologies. Rohde & Schwarz offers with the R&S CMP180 radio communication tester a future-proof non-signaling testing solution for wireless devices in research and development, validation and production. Together with advanced frequency, bandwidth and RF capabilities, it enables testing of new wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 and many more. Additionally, the doubled number of analyzers (2xVSA), generators (2xVSG) and RF ports (2×8) enable simultaneous measurements of technologies and devices in a VSA/VSG single-box tester. More information: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/_229356-1159895.html

Network operators rolling out 5G networks have the opportunity at MWC 2022 to learn about the Rohde & Schwarz network performance score (NPS), a harmonized test methodology for QoE-centric mobile network quality and performance assessments which forms the foundation for guided network optimization – fully transparent, independent from the respective network infrastructure and globally comparable. Plus, a cloud-based big-data and machine-learning assisted network analytics suite to build sustainable and automated network intelligence will be on display at MWC 2022.

Expanded mobile ecosystem

Industrial-grade mobile networks, particularly 5G NR, open up new use cases for cellular technology, expanding the mobile ecosystem beyond the traditional world of private subscribers to include enterprise, logistics, healthcare, manufacturing, finance, a host of secure applications and much more. Two of the primary applications that extend the mobile ecosystem are private networks for smart factories as well as automotive, with a special emphasis on C-V2X use cases. Rohde & Schwarz addresses both applications for their demanding test requirements in the lab and in the field regarding network availability, security, quality and performance.

A full range of solutions to test and improve the quality and performance of 5G public and private networks are displayed at MWC Barcelona 2022. Among those is the integrated R&S 5G Site Testing Solution (R&S 5G STS), tailored to implement and operate private networks. The combination of proven instruments offers all required functional, RF and signaling tests for installing 5G campus network base stations and troubleshooting during operation.

For automotive applications in particular, Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing its range of 5G and C-V2X testing solutions for development in the lab and verification in the field to ensure the performance and reliability of critical automotive communications. Comprehensive C-V2X and automotive 5G testing is crucial for chipset developers, TCU suppliers, car manufacturers and certification bodies to ensure end-user experience and performance of applications. The C-V2X PC5 interface enables direct, reliable, low latency communication between vehicles (V2V), vehicles and infrastructure (V2I) and vehicles and pedestrians (V2P). Rohde & Schwarz will showcase a new C-V2X PC5 capable network scanner for signal quality analysis and PC5 in-field coverage verification based on the R&S TSME6.

As leader in wireless device testing, Rohde & Schwarz also provides a full range of ultra-wideband (UWB) test solutions for R&D, certification and production with its R&S CMP200 radio communication tester. UWB’s accurate ranging capability and low power consumption combined with high security and reliability makes it suitable for many automotive applications such as remote access and gesture recognition. 

The future of mobile

While 5G NR is being rolled out, Release 17 is bringing further 5G system enhancements – which in turn paves the way to 5G-Advanced (Release 18), where FR2 is extended beyond 52.6 GHz all the way up to 71 GHz. A key aspect of 5G-Advanced will be artificial intelligence and machine learning models (AI/ML) which optimize and improve the overall network from its core to the radio physical (PHY) layer and RAN. Also, 6G research is already emerging with dedicated projects and commitments around the industry. Scalable test solutions from Rohde & Schwarz meet the needs of fundamental research for these future technologies.

At MWC Barcelona 2022, for example, Rohde & Schwarz is addressing new testing challenges to evaluate the performance of the latest generation RF transceiver chipsets for 5G NR up to 71 GHz. The setup features the updated R&S SMW200A vector signal generator, which now supports frequencies up to 67 GHz – 72 GHz in overrange mode – thanks to a new frequency option. The R&S FSW85 signal and spectrum analyzer is also part of the setup. It is the only analyzer with an integrated signal analysis bandwidth of up to 8.3 GHz and it supports RF frequencies up to 90 GHz. More information: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/_229356-1154496.html

Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing its comprehensive portfolio of test and measurement solutions for the mobile industry at Mobile World Congress 2022 at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona in hall 5, booth 5A80. In addition, Rohde & Schwarz experts will contribute to several panels of the event’s conference program. For further information, go to: www.rohde-schwarz.com/mwc