Advanced 5G device test solution accelerates high-speed and high-capacity communications

Anritsu Corporation has developed and launched new software options for its Radio Communication Test Station, the MT8000A, designed to evaluate the RF performance of 5G devices, including smartphones. These options support key technologies specified in 3GPP Release 17, including 1024QAM modulation for the downlink and Tx Switching 2Tx to 2Tx for the uplink, allowing the accurate and flexible evaluation of 5G devices with enhanced transmit/receive (TRx) performance.

The 1024QAM modulation for downlink delivers approximately 25% improvement in data throughput compared to the current 256QAM standard for the same frequency bandwidth. The Tx Switching 2Tx to 2Tx for uplink technology improves uplink stability and speed by dynamically switching between multiple antennas based on communication conditions. These technologies are expected to be adopted in the FR1 frequency bands used by 5G devices, such as smartphones, and also to enhance the quality of communication experiences across a broad range of applications, from entertainment, including ultra-high-definition video streaming and cloud gaming, to business use cases, such as teleworking and cloud services. The company contributes to the advancement of next-generation communications and the creation of a more seamless network environment by providing test solutions that enable precise and flexible evaluation of 5G device TRx performance using these new technologies.

Since the commercialisation of 5G, the widespread adoption of AR/VR, 8K video, and live streaming on social media has led to a sharp increase in data traffic, making the development of faster and more stable communication environments a pressing challenge. Technologies specified in 3GPP Release 17, such as the 1024QAM modulation scheme for the downlink and the Tx Switching 2Tx to 2Tx method for the uplink, are gaining attention, with technical trials underway in various countries for future deployment. These new technologies need a test environment that can accurately and flexibly evaluate the transmission and reception performance of 5G devices.

The company has developed two software options for RF testing using the MT8000A platform:

• NR DL 1024QAM MX800010A-022
• NR UL Tx Switching 2Tx to 2Tx MX800010A-019

The former option allows RF testing for downlink 1024QAM modulation, which delivers approximately 25% better receiver performance compared to conventional 256QAM schemes. The latter supports RF testing for uplink transmission switching technology, which dynamically switches between multiple antennas based on communication conditions to provide stable and high-speed transmission performance.