Best in Test Finalists 2010: Wireless test (standard specific)

-- Test & Measurement World, 12/22/2009 12:00:00 PM

Return to the entire list of Best in Test finalists for 2010.

--7100 LTE Digital Radio Test Set, Aeroflex Test Solutions
--ACE MX MIMO Channel Emulator, Azimuth Systems
--GeoProbe Femtocell Solution, Tektronix Communications
--MD8430A LTE Signalling Tester, Anritsu
--WaveAgent OTA Interoperability Test Solution, VeriWave

 

7100 LTE Digital Radio Test Set
Aeroflex Test Solutions
www.aeroflex.com

The 7100 LTE digital radio test set is a benchtop network simulator and measurement instrument designed for developers of LTE (3GPP E-UTRAN) cellular devices. It provides an RF interface that can be connected to the cellular terminal and supports the baseband processing and signaling protocols needed for an end-to-end IP connection. Test functionality is provided for all layers, including RF parametric measurements (such as power level, modulation accuracy, and sensitivity), data-throughput measurements at each layer, and protocol logging and analysis.

Built-in signaling protocols are provided for common procedures, such as cell selection, data call setup, and handover. An API allows users to devise tests that can be executed on the 7100 or on an Ethernet-connected PC. The 7100 supports 20-MHz channel bandwidths, 100-Mbps data rates, and MIMO. It can also be upgraded to support cdma2000, 1xEVDO, and WCDMA/HSPA handover testing. An embedded PC provides access to the test features.

Price: $70,000.

 

ACE MX MIMO Channel Emulator
Azimuth Systems
www.azimuthsystems.com

The complex physical layer requirements of MIMO-based 3G/4G technologies place rigorous requirements on RF test equipment. The Azimuth ACE MX is a channel emulator purpose-built for MIMO system testing. It is used to accurately characterize RF environmental effects for performance, conformance, and interoperability testing of base stations and mobile devices by mobile infrastructure, chip set and device vendors, operators, and test labs.

The flexible ACE-MX architecture enables testers to recreate and overlay real-world fading and multipath conditions onto the complex correlation models of the relationships between signals as they are received at each antenna. The ACE-MX DSP engines allow real-time creation of unidirectional or bidirectional MIMO scenarios of over-the-air conditions while offering multiple programmable parameters to tune the test bed. The key benefit here is that testing, previously performed late in the development-and-deployment cycle, can now be done much earlier, reducing development costs and time-to-market.

Base prices: $100,000 for an entry-level system to $400,000 for a fully loaded system.

 

GeoProbe Femtocell Solution
Tektronix Communications
www.tektronixcommunications.com

Tektronix Communications' GeoProbe Femtocell solution provides real-time, end-to-end network visibility and troubleshooting capability for operators deploying femtocell access networks alongside their UTRAN mobile access networks.

With femtocell technology, operators seek to capture additional revenue by improving the mobile experience in oversubscribed and rural areas. Because the number of network elements involved in a femtocell access network are considerably more than in a GSM or UMTS access network, there is an economic need to monitor the tens of thousands of Iuh interfaces remotely as opposed to relying on portable tests carried out by field technicians, which can be more expensive and less efficient.

Designed to addresses both proprietary and standardized 3GPP-based implementations, Femtocell is typically deployed at the HNB Gateway for the Iuh interface and can generate statistics for nodal troubleshooting, network baselining, and planning purposes, as well as data records for internal and external business and operations support-system applications.

Price: not provided.

 

MD8430A LTE Signalling Tester
Anritsu
www.us.anritsu.com

The MD8430A LTE Signalling Tester and Rapid Test Designer (RTD) software from Anritsu combine to form an LTE test solution that creates a complete LTE test environment. The combination allows chipset developers and wireless device OEMs to bring products to market more quickly and with more confidence by making it easy to create test cases and perform full emulation of all critical LTE base-station parameters.

The MD8430A has four RF and baseband interfaces that enable four simultaneous SISO links or 2x2 MIMO system handover testing. When combined with the RTD software, the system enables users to create LTE test scenarios that Anritsu says cannot be accomplished with traditional language-based tools. Tests that can be conducted include baseband coding and decoding processing tests, protocol sequence tests, application tests, and inter-RAT (radio access technology) and intra-RAT handover tests. Protocol-analysis-with-triggering functions are provided for detailed analysis.

Price: $259,533.

 

WaveAgent OTA Interoperability Test Solution
VeriWave
www.veriwave.com

VeriWave's WaveAgent Network Interoperability Test utility lets vendors and users of WiFi products and deployments measure how specific devices will interact and perform, before they buy or deploy. The 802.11n standard is triggering higher-speed mission-critical WiFi applications in healthcare, retail, education, and enterprise voice and video, and WaveAgent ensures networks perform as expected. WaveAgent allows testers to combine traffic profiles generated by the VeriWave tester with actual traffic from actual devices, so users can obtain real-world performance and interoperability tests from one automated, repeatable suite.

WaveAgent combines interoperability testing with scalability testing in fully loaded scenarios, and "what if" testing of live network conditions. WaveAgent uses a small-footprint executable loaded onto products such as laptops, smartphones, and patient monitors without interfering with the devices' performance or network security. WaveAgent supports key protocol layers (UDP, TCP, voice, and video) and mobile operating systems such as Windows XP, Vista Mobile, and Linux.

Base price: $1000.