Comprehensive solution package for LTE drive tests from Rohde & Schwarz

Field tests and first rollouts of LTE networks are currently underway in many countries. LTE networks are already up and running in Sweden and the USA, for example. As a result of the rollouts, installers and operators of LTE infrastructures and their service providers now need to be able to check the data throughput and transmission quality of the new wireless communications networks. Moreover, handover tests ensure smooth transitions between networks that use different wireless communications standards.

With the LTE USB test terminal and the R&S ROMES4.50 drive test software, users can also check how effective MIMO technology is under real conditions. For example, they can determine the regions where test terminals switch to MIMO transmission. MIMO utilization is an important factor in network optimization because it is not always possible to substantially increase data throughput by transmitting the wireless communications signal over multiple transmit and receive antennas in parallel.

Test engineers can use the R&S TSMW LTE scanner to identify problems that occur during LTE network operation. Even in a real network featuring many base stations, the drive test solution from Rohde & Schwarz quickly detects trouble spots so that faults can be promptly eliminated. The result is a consistently high level of network coverage. Network quality and capacity can be optimized, as well.

R&S ROMES4.50 also features a Google Earth export function. Users can transfer LTE measurement data from the drive test software to Google Earth maps and pass the combined information on as Google Earth files. This is especially valuable for infrastructure and service providers because it allows them to easily create clear and comprehensible reports for network operators.