According to a recent announcement, mobile network testing company Rohde & Schwarz is launching 5G New Radio (5G NR) network measurements with a commercially available 5G NR network measurement solution. This solution is designed to enable users and regulators in the 5G network ecosystem to accurately measure the 5G NR network coverage. With this solution, users reportedly also can verify the correct operation of beamforming and interworking between 5G and other technologies.
The solution consists of a network scanner with matching 5G NR scanning software and the R&S ROMES4 drive test software suite. The company has been testing the solution in the field in pre-commercial 5G NR network trials in support of a tier 1 operator and a global 5G NR infrastructure supplier. Rohde & Schwarz will present its new 5G NR network measurement solution to the public for the first time at Mobile World Congress Americas in Los Angeles.
Customers will be able to choose between two test scanners: the R&S TSME6 ultracompact drive test scanner or the R&S TSMA6 autonomous mobile network scanner featuring a built-in network PC. Both test scanners equipped with the 5G NR scanning software cover both standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) network architectures. In addition, the R&S ROMES4 drive test software provides analysis and visualization of all existing 3GPP technologies, such as GSM, UMTS/HSPA and LTE, including the IoT technologies NB-IoT and LTE-M. The drive test software either runs on the controlling laptop when used with the R&S TSME6 or on the built-in network PC of the R&S TSMA6, leaving measurement control to a simple tablet. Field measurements are facilitated by combining relevant test equipment with an appropriate antenna in a portable backpack or shoulder bag for efficient drive and walk testing.
The R&S ROMES4 software suite is designed to connect with 5G NR devices such as evaluation boards, USB dongles and pre-commercial smartphones as they become available. This allows adopters of 5G NR to gain early insights into a device's performance and its interaction with real 5G NR networks. Rohde & Schwarz has successfully demonstrated this capability of its network measurement solutions during the introduction of previous mobile communications technologies.
“By launching the world's first commercially available 5G NR network measurement solution, once again, we at Rohde & Schwarz prove our commitment to turn visions into reality,” said Dietmar Vahldiek, EVP, Monitoring and Network Testing, Rohde & Schwarz. “We enable our customers to be ahead in 5G by achieving superior 5G NR performance in all phases of the network lifecycle.”
Ken Briodagh is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience under his belt. He is in love with technology and if he had his druthers would beta test everything from shoe phones to flying cars.Edited by
Ken Briodagh
