The disruptive 5G technology

With ubiquitous, extremely-fast connectivity and seamless service delivery in all circumstances utilizing very high capacity infrastructure at tens of GHz frequencies, a 5G network will represent the most powerful, efficient and intelligent network the world has ever known. 5G technology enables a variety of techniques which will foster mobile communications to an unheard-off level. With expectations laying to support 1,000-times more devices than 4G with 100-times faster speeds and 10-times lower latencies, the challenge for test vendors is enormous. With a dramatic increase in user expectations on the network, the need to test devices and base stations solely on an OTA manner becomes essential. One of the most attractive use cases for 5G technology is the Internet of Things (IoT), which is expected to bring in billions of connected wireless sensors on the same communications network. Ubiquitous things communicating Massive MIMO (mMIMO) products generate agile beams for unparalleled accuracy in dynamic spectrum power placement. Beamsteering and beamforming techniques still have to prove its effectiveness on the field, and having the possibility of testing beamforming capacity or associated effects on latency are undoubtedly important prior to deployment. 5G networks have also brought extremely challenging requests to the test & measurement industry, ballooning testing complexity to a previously unseen level. The need for rapid, precise and simple OTA testing solutions is critical for identifying issues a priori and enabling fast prototyping cycle time during 5G product development.

EMITE 5G OTA Lab

Inaugurated in December 2017, EMITE 5G Lab is located at the ELDI Cátedra de Empresa building of Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena. EMITE 5G Lab was open with the support of several important founding members and collaborators including several carriers (Vodafone and the leading Australian operator), test vendors (National Instruments), the Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) and OEMs (Sony Mobile Communications), which have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with EMITE to develop advanced and useful OTA test solutions for 5G using the partners’ knowledge and individual equipment developments.

EMITE’s 5G Lab will undoubtedly contribute to a faster development of fully-operative 5G OTA test systems targeting carriers’ requirements for realistic OEM’s capabilities.

EMITE 5G Lab has already produced some customers including carriers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and network infrastructure vendors (NIV)

EMITE provides different solutions for 5G OTA testing

Thanks to a very solid OTA testing background, EMITE has released the perfect modular and upgradable set of chambers for 5G OTA testing, starting with the most advanced Reverberation Chamber (RC) in the market, the E-Series, with a unique patented hybrid Reverberation/Anechoic chamber for massive MIMO OTA testing, the F-Series, and with the release of a new 3GPP-compliant Compact Antenna Test System (CATR) chamber for mmWave OTA testing, the H-Series. The EMITE motto of making things simple remains applicable to the new 5G OTA Test Systems, with upgrade paths from existing 4G test chambers, always providing the best value-for-money for our customers.

Production testing for mmWave 5G chipsets and devices can also be performed with our PT-Series. Techniques that traditionally relied on direct wired connector access to the radio are no longer possible, and from simple GO/NOGO tests to more complex non-signaling OTA tests, the PT-Series incorporates both SW and HW upgrades for 5G OTA Production Testing. With up to 8 DUTs being simultaneously OTA-tested in parallel, production testing for 5G has never been so easy.

For 5G small devices and base station, the E-Series Reverberation Chamber can provide for 5G OTA testing of TCP, UDP and FTP Throughput versus range, providing overall sum Throughput figures at different OSI layers using a RRU + BBU setup, a parameter of the outmost importance for real 5G networks. 5G upgrade paths to 30 and 40 GHz from E500 and E600 RCs are available.

The MIMO 5G OTA test platform by EMITE, the F-Series, allows mobile operators to test their gNodeBs prior to massive deployment, flexibly customize RF patterns in real time to foresee techniques to dynamically manage network capacity and coverage, including scenarios with diverse fading conditions and the introduction of diverse types of interference. Real mMIMO RRUs can be tested and benchmarked, with some novel figures of merit like beamforming capacity.

For standardized 5G OTA testing, the compact H-Series CATR chamber provide complete 3D performance assessment for 5G OTA devices and antennas including gain, efficiency, directivity, polarization and beam characteristics for frequencies from 3 up to 110 GHz, capable of supporting forthcoming 5G Sub-6 GHz and mmWave standardized OTA testing including TRP/TIS, EIRP, EIS, IBB and emissions in accordance to 3GPP TR38.810 and TR37.842. The nature of 5G Sub-6 GHz and mmWave frequencies makes OTA testing extremely sensitive to physical positioning and to phase and gain measurement accuracy, and for this reason aerospace-used technology has been incorporated into EMITE H-Series chambers. With serrated reflectors providing unique 15µm peak-to-peak roughness in 30/60 cm quiet zone. High accuracy 0.03° positioners are included, with both roll over azimuth and roll over elevation. Undoubtedly, the H-Series is a best-in-its-type chamber , and the only one in the market capable of testing FR1 Sub-6 GHz and FR2 mmWave frequencies in a simultaneous manner.

EMITE 5G OTA testing with Reverberation Chambers Main Features

EMITE 5G OTA testing with Anechoic Chambers Main Features

EMITE 5G OTA testing with CATR Chambers Main Features

EMITE, your 5G OTA Test Partner