5G NR device testing simplified in one instrument

With its new one-box tester approach, the R&S CMX500 5G radio communication tester enables even complex test setups for all 5G NR deployments, supporting a large variety of the present and future 3GPP band combinations.

The simplified setup in a single easy-to-use test platform results in an extremely small footprint in the lab.

The R&S CMX500 one-box tester provides extensive device testing capability, including support for all 5G NR deployments covering LTE, 5G NR FR1 and FR2 in non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) mode, for both FDD and TDD with an effortless setup and an outstanding performance.

Manufacturers of cutting-edge 5G NR capable chipsets and devices as well as certification providers can cover the entire product lifecycle with the R&S CMX500 one-box tester, from all early R&D design phases to end-to-end application testing, including device certification.

To realie the one-box tester approach, Rohde & Schwarz has integrated new sub 8 GHz RF units for FR1 into the R&S CMX500.

In combination with the new remote radio heads (RRH), which now cover mmWave frequencies up to 50 GHz in FR2, the R&S CMX500 one-box tester reaches its market-leading performance.

Consequently, even challenging 5G NR band combinations can now be simulated with a single R&S CMX500.

For example, higher order carrier aggregation with up to 8CC combinations of FR1 and FR2 in downlink is possible, which can achieve data rates of 10 Gbps and beyond on the IP layer.

Data-hungry enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) applications like 8K video streaming or augmented and virtual reality will call for data rates as high as 10 Gbps in uplink and 20 Gbps in the downlink.

The future-proof concept of the R&S CMX500 one-box tester is ready today to validate such high data throughput tomorrow, all in a single box, making it ten times more powerful than the 4G industry leader, the R&S CMW500 wideband radio communication tester.

This one-box tester continues Rohde & Schwarzs one-platform strategy that uses the same test concepts and identical measurements to deliver reproducible and validated test results from R&D over device certification into mass production.

The R&S CMX500 complements its modular hardware design with R&S CMsquares.

This web-based graphical user interface lets users quickly manage their 5G testing tasks with the help of intuitive measurement squares, from RF callbox measurements to protocol verification to higher layer application tests.

The test portfolio from Rohde & Schwarz includes related peripheral solutions like shielded chambers for over-the-air (OTA) measurements in FR2, all from a single source, which users can seamlessly integrate into their test setups.

Christoph Pointner, Senior Vice President Mobile Radio Testers at Rohde & Schwarz, comments on the introduction of the new one-box tester: "We want our customers and the entire mobile industry to rethink 5G testing. The flexibility of 5G technology means more variants, more options but also more complexity. But for device manufacturers, this doesn’t have to translate into equally complex test setups and routines any longer. With our new R&S CMX500 one-box tester, we at Rohde & Schwarz are making 5G testing as simple and straightforward as never before. Our state-of-the-art mobile device testing solutions bundle years of experience in mobile radio testing and industry insight, to make our customers ready for current and future test challenges."

On the way to peak data rates, Rohde & Schwarz will exhibit a milestone at MWC Barcelona 2022 (February 28-March 30 at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona. Visitors can experience the demonstration of high data throughput in downlink over IP layer of up to 10 Gbps end-to-end IP data performance