R&S CMX500 OBT now supports 5G NTN-NR testing based on Release 17
Rohde & Schwarz and MediaTek have jointly demonstrated a 5G New Radio (NR) non-terrestrial networking (NTN) connection based on the latest 17GPP Release 3 specifications. This technological advance has been presented at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona using the advanced R&S CMX500 all-in-one signaling tester (OBT) from Rohde & Schwarz and a NTN-NR device from MediaTek as the device examined. NTN-NR 5G is the next phase of NTN technology in which smartphones and other 5G devices will connect directly to satellite-based services.
The demonstration at the Rohde & Schwarz booth at MWC Barcelona consisted of a live NTN-NR 5G connection emulating a satellite access node in low Earth orbit (LEO). This configuration allows simulating real environments and, in this way, demonstrates the ability of 5G technology to provide connectivity in areas without land coverage. NTN-NR will ensure access to basic mobile services, such as voice, messaging and low data rates, from anywhere in the world, especially in environments where terrestrial network coverage is unavailable or unfeasible, such as in maritime applications. , aeronautical and rural.
The R&S CMX500 OBT radio communications tester simulates the satellite base station in combination with the R&S SMBV100B vector signal generator, which simulates the different satellite constellations with its integrated GNSS option. The R&S CMX500 operates in interactive callbox mode, allowing users to activate voice calls along with RF measurements. This test mode, supported by an intuitive user interface, highlights the versatility of the tester to evaluate both the performance and reliability of 5G connections in different conditions. This will ensure that future NTN-NR devices developed by MediaTek with the NTN test platform will work perfectly anywhere in the world.
Christoph Pointner, Senior Vice President of Mobile Communications Testers at Rohde & Schwarz, said: “Cooperating with MediaTek to showcase this revolutionary technology at MWC Barcelona underlines our commitment to driving innovation in the field of 5G NTNs. “The demonstration of a 5G NTN-NR connection based on our R&S CMX500 OBT highlights the potential of non-terrestrial networks to improve global connectivity and also opens a whole new market for universal connectivity.”
Ho-Chi Hwang, General Manager of Wireless Communication System and Partnerships at MediaTek, said: “Our strong relationship with Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates our commitment to ushering in a new era of connectivity. “As demand for satellite technology continues to grow across products across multiple categories, it is very important to us to continue expanding our ecosystem of connected devices so that users can have universal access at all times.”
Rohde & Schwarz and MediaTek demonstrated the NTN-NR 5G test configuration at Mobile World Congress 2024, in booth 5A80 in Hall 5 of the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona. Trade show attendees could see how Rohde & Schwarz's cutting-edge solutions meet test and verification needs for NTN and other technologies.
