Rohde & Schwarz collaborates with Qualcomm and Iridium Communications to test Snapdragon Satellite

Qualcomm Technologies Inc., Iridium Communications Inc. and Rohde & Schwarz recently collaborated on testing and validating Snapdragon® Satellite, a solution from Qualcomm Technologies for satellite-based connectivity on next-generation Android smartphones. Manufacturers who want to offer smartphones with truly global coverage can rely on test equipment from Rohde & Schwarz to confirm the full functionality of their products: The R&S CMW100 non-signalling wireless tester is supported by the Qualcomm® Development Acceleration Resource Toolkit (QDART) to verify the Iridium® waveforms in R&D and production testing.

Rohde & Schwarz today announced that its tried-and-tested R&S CMW100 communications manufacturing test set for non-signalling wireless device testing has been validated by Qualcomm Technologies for QDART to verify Iridium waveforms used for the new Snapdragon® Satellite solution. Rohde & Schwarz is the first to supply test and measurement equipment to support non-signalling R&D and production testing of this new feature. This will help enable the Android ecosystem to reliably offer the satellite-based global emergency and two-way messaging provided by Iridium Communications on next-generation smartphones.

Powered by the Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform and supported by Iridium, the satellite provider, Snapdragon Satellite will enable smartphones to offer global connectivity and support two-way emergency messaging, SMS texting, and other messaging applications in remote, rural and offshore locations. The smartphone solution utilises Iridium’s weather-resilient L-band spectrum for uplink and downlink.

The R&S CMW100 communications manufacturing test set is part of the Rohde & Schwarz single-box tester portfolio, which provides universal and efficient test instruments for all modern cellular and non-cellular standards. The flexible R&S CMW100 RF interface permits simultaneous testing of up to eight devices. It has a continuous frequency range up to 6 GHz and RF bandwidth up to 160 MHz. A wide range of methods that reduce test times and maximise capacity utilisation are implemented in the test platform for high measurement performance and accuracy.

For advanced wireless technologies, Rohde & Schwarz offers the R&S CMP180 with an enhanced frequency up to 8 GHz and bandwidth up to 500 MHz. Double the number of analysers (2xVSA), generators (2xVSG) and RF ports (2×8) enable even more simultaneous measurements of technologies and devices in a VSA/VSG single-box tester. Both instruments are validated by Qualcomm Technologies for QDART, making them a future-proof investment for OEMs.

Christoph Pointner, Senior Vice President Mobile Radio Testers at Rohde & Schwarz, said: “We are honoured to be first in line to support Qualcomm Technologies and Iridium Communications in their joint efforts to bring connectivity from pole to pole to the Android ecosystem. Our R&S CMW100 is a tried-and-tested solution for receiver and transmitter tests of cellular and non-cellular technologies on all wireless devices. Being validated for QDART for Iridium waveforms means that OEMs can be confident that our test solution is ready to fulfil their testing needs, whether in the lab or on the production line.”

Francesco Grilli, Vice President of Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., said: “We’ve been close partners with Rohde & Schwartz for years and are delighted to continue leveraging their technology for testing purposes on such an important capability within our Snapdragon mobile platform.”

Joel Thompson, Head of Product, Iridium Communications, said: “Rohde & Schwarz is a great partner for the various test regimes used for Snapdragon Satellite. The R&S CMW100 and its high measurement performance and limited test time have been a strong asset in launching this capability with Qualcomm Technologies.”

At Mobile World Congress 2023, Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing in hall 5, booth 5A80 of Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, a setup featuring a radio communications tester performing Iridium waveform verification in line with QDART for a Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform.

For further information on Rohde & Schwarz at MWC Barcelona, visit: www.rohde-schwarz.com/mwc