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5G A-GNSS Antenna Performance Testing

05 October 2023 — ETS-Lindgren teamed up with Rohde & Schwarz for a turnkey 5G NR A-GNSS antenna performance testing solution that uses the R&S CMX500 OBT wideband radio communication tester and the R&S SMBV100B vector signal generator with GNSS simulator in their market leading OTA antenna performance measurement solution. When Rohde & Schwarz test equipment is paired with CTIA-compliant EMQuest antenna measurement software and chamber systems from ETS-Lindgren, they provide comprehensive 5G NR A-GNSS test capabilities.

The fifth generation of cellular comunications (5G NR) makes use of existing and new location based services, such as assisted GNSS (A-GNSS), where radio technology provides information about available satellites for faster positioning. Satellite based positioning remains critical for cellular devices and GNSS has been improved with additional constellations for better signal reliability accuracy and integrity.

The R&S CMX500 one-box tester (OBT) from Rohde & Schwarz is one of the most capable single-box 5G, LTE and Wi-Fi network emulator on the market and features a location based services server that seamlessly works with the R&S SMBV100B GNSS simulator. Both instruments combine to form the most powerful solution for A-GNSS testing of LTE and 5G NR that meets OTA antenna performance test requirements and is ideal for the EMQuest Antenna Measurement software from ETS-Lindgren.

While the R&S SMBV100B simulates all possible GNSS satellite constellations at any time and geolocation, the R&S CMX500 supports LTE and 5G NR cellular network simulations. The R&S CMX500 also supports A-GNSS assistance data messaging over control planes (LPP over RRC) and secure user planes (SUPL). Integrating the R&S CMX500 OBT and the R&S SMBV100B enables users to conduct crucial GNSS OTA tests essential for certification and assessing positioning performance in smartphone, automotive and high-precision applications. ETS-Lindgren has a worldwide installed base of OTA systems driven by its EMQuest Antenna Measurement software that combines these capabilities into a turnkey 5G NR A-GNSS antenna performance solution.

The R&S CMX500 wideband radio communication tester is a universal test platform for commercial wireless device signaling and RF parametric testing. Along with testing for location based services and protocol stack features for A-GNSS operations, the R&S CMX500 also enables comprehensive data performance and PoLQA voice quality measurements. The internal fading simulator also makes for easy testing under realistic propagation conditions. The R&S CMX500 can be used in all phases for product development, service/repair, regulatory testing, conformance and network operator carrier acceptance.

Bryan Helmick, Product Manager for Wireless Device Test at Rohde & Schwarz said: “To meet demand for greater location accuracy in a 5G NR network, operators around the world are driving the deployment of new location finding technologies. New GNSS capabilities are a critical part of this deployment and GNSS receiver performance has never been more important. ETS-Lindgren is the perfect partner for Rohde & Schwarz and mobile device manufacturers. Their EMQuest Antenna Measurement software makes it easy to determine the GNSS performance of a 5G NR device.”

James Young, Sr. Director of Business Development with ETS-Lindgren said: “ETS-Lindgren is pleased to expand technology coverage for GNSS with the R&S CMX500 OBT and the R&S SMBV100B signal generator. Our close collaboration with R&S engineering teams worldwide ensures that new wireless generations and technologies can be applied to the large network of ETS-Lindgren OTA test systems deployed around the world. In addition to GNSS, all 5G modes in FR1 and FR2, LTE and hundreds of carrier aggregation combinations are available on OTA systems with the R&S CMX500 OBT. Lab managers praise the instrument driver flexibility that EMQuest offers and which lets them add technogies and switch to the latest instrumentation like when R&S CMW500 and R&S CMX500 capabilities were moved to the R&S CMX500 OBT. Rohde & Schwarz has a great track record, and early feedback commends the way the hardware, software and system come together for 5G A-GNSS.”

www.rohde-schwarz.com/

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