Radio comms analyser now supports LTE Category M1 and NB-IoT
Software packages for the MT8821C, Anritsu’s radio communications analyser have been released to support emerging LTE Category M1 (LTE Cat-M1) and Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) designs. The analyser and sofware create an efficient testing environment for LTE Cat-M1 and NB-IoT chipset and device verification, says Anritsu.
The LTE Cat-M1 and NB-IoT support expands the test capability of the MT8821C, and provides IoT-terminal, chipset manufacturers and communications operators with a single analyser that can speed development of IoT devices.
For LTE Cat-M1 testing, Anritsu has developed Category M1 measurement software MX882116C and LTE Cat-M1 IP data transfer MX882116C-006 measurement software. The NB-IoT measurement software MX882117C and NB-IoT IP data transfer MX882117C-006 software packages support NB-IoT verification.
With the software installed, the MT8821C can conduct LTE Cat-M1 and NB-IoT 3GPP-defined RF measurement tests as well as IP data transferring functions to verify designs during the development and early deployment of IoT devices and services, says Anritsu.
RF measurements defined in articles 6 and 7 of the 3GPP TS36.521-1 recommendations for LTE Cat-M1 and NB-IoT terminals can be made with the MT8821C with the software installed, adds the company.
Additionally, the eDRX and PSM low-power-consumption technologies are supported, along with IP data transferring functions necessary for comprehensive throughput measurement and function tests.
These software options expand the measurement capability of the radio communications analyser MT8821C. The all-in-one tester has built-in RF TRx test functions and basestation simulation functions for LTE-Advanced terminals. It supports tests of TRx characteristics while the terminal is communicating. With frequency coverage up to 6.0GHz and 160MHz wide frequency bandwidth for both Tx and Rx tests, the analyser supports all cellular technologies compliant with 3GPP/3GPP2 UE RF TRX tests, including LTE/LTE-Advanced, Cat-M1/NB-IoT,
W-CDMA/HSPA, GSM/EGPRS, TD-SCDMA/HSPA, and CDMA2000 1X/1xEV-DO.
Anritsu maintains that test costs are reduced and throughput improved, as the radio communications analyser MT8821C can control the mobile device by signalling and supports measurements directly without changes, due to the chipset for lower measurement environment set-up costs. Through its parallelphone measurement (PPM) feature, a single MT8821C analyser can perform simultaneous and independent testing, reducing cost-of-test and improving throughput.
