Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) has introduced its 5G Site Testing Solution (5G STS), which it says provides the industry with an integrated package of proven test equipment that combines all the necessary functional, RF and signaling tests for 5G installation and troubleshooting. Specifically, the 5G STS comprises the R&S TSMA6 receiver plus the R&S TSME30DC downconverter units, along with the QualiPoc Android handheld network troubleshooter and the R&S Cable Rider ZPH analyzer.
With the 5G STS platform, field service engineers benefit from Automated Channel Detection (ACD) to automatically configure the receiver with the correct measurement settings rather than to manually enter them into the instrument. Rohde & Schwarz notes that the platform is also significantly faster and more sensitive than a traditional spectrum analyzer. The system can run 5G and LTE tests simultaneously, and executes all necessary tests for efficient 5G site verification and troubleshooting in one integrated package.
As pointed out by the manufacturer, "With commercial 5G deployments gathering pace globally, field service teams are facing the challenge of successfully deploying and operating new network infrastructure that has a radically different architecture from previous cellular generations. Site acceptance and troubleshooting of each new cell site must test new capabilities, such as beamforming and 5G/LTE dual connectivity, to verify the correct installation and performance and to ensure that the required quality of service (QoS) is delivered to end users."
The company concludes, "With the 5G Site Testing Solution from Rohde & Schwarz, network field service engineers gain a powerful test toolkit to accelerate the process of site acceptance and troubleshooting new cell sites."
At the core of the 5G STS platform is the R&S TSMA6 autonomous receiver that uses Automatic Channel Detection (ACD) to show all LTE and 5G signals, identify channel frequency and decode the PCI/SSBs information in order to provide quality analysis of the signal.
The addition of the QualiPoc Android handheld troubleshooter enables field service engineers to detect the presence of a 5G carrier and to verify the fundamental parameters of uplink speed, downlink speed and latency. QualiPoc Android can conduct cell and beam quality measurements and verify the presence and quality of the LTE anchor cell, which is essential in 5G non-stand-alone (NSA) mode.
The optional R&S Cable Rider ZPH, which combines spectral analyzer and cable and antenna tester functionality, can measure the occupied bandwidth of the 5G carrier. Using a time gate, it isolates the uplink signal, which is important for interference hunting in TDD networks. The unit's zero span feature enables the SSB to be viewed in the time domain and to determine how many beams there are. The R&S Cable Rider ZPH can also measure optical power and RF-conducted measurements of VSWR and distance-to-fault at the cell site.
For more information, visit https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/product/5g-sts-productstartpage_63493-766529.html.