Rohde & Schwarz has launched  a new flagship test product, the R&S SMW200A high-end vector signal generator.
The box combines a baseband generator, RF generator and MIMO fading simulator, with the options of hooking up an additional RF path for frequencies up to 6 GHz, and can simulate fading scenarios including 2×2 MIMO, 8×2 MIMO and TD-LTE and 2×2 MIMO for LTE-Advanced carrier aggregation. Carrier aggregation is one of the most highly-anticipated LTE-A features for increasing carrier’s efficient use of spectrum.
The instrument is aimed at developing high-end components, modules and complete products for systems such as LTE-Advanced and the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard, where much of the telecom industry’s energies are being directed for faster speeds and more network efficiencies. Rohde & Schwarz said the product “performs particularly well when it comes to the verification of 3G and 4G base stations, as well as aerospace and defense applications.”
The new product supports LTE, LTE-Adanced, HSPA/HSPA+, GSM/EDGE/EDGE Evolution, TS-SCDMA, CDMA2000/1x-EV-DO and Wi-Fi 802.11a, b, g, n and ac, and includes test wizards for 3GPP conformance and touch-screen operations.
Wolfgang Kernchen, Director of the Signal Generators, Audio Analyzers and Power Meters Subdivision at Rohde & Schwarz said, “We want our new flagship product to give customers an instrument that makes their work easier thanks to its outstanding performance and intelligent operating assistance features,” said Wolfgang Kernchen, director of Rohde & Schwarz’ subdivision for signal generators, audio analyzers and power meters. “This gives developers the ideal framework to ensure their products comply with today’s sophisticated communications standards and those of the future, so that their products can be made ready for the market as quickly as possible.”
The company has a video on the SMW200A here.
Rohde & Schwarz also has expanded the frequency range of its R&S FSW signal and spectrum analyzer to 50 GHz. The new microwave model is intended for development, testing, verification and production of transmitters and components in radar, satellite and military communications systems.
Agilent Technologies said it has added new scripts for full automation for Voice over LTE functional tests for Verizon Wireless compliance to its N5973A Interactive Functional Test Automation software.
The software is used in conjunction with Agilent’s PXT wireless communications test set and 8960 test set. The enhancements enable fully automated VoLTE tests including call setup and teardown, call waiting and handovers to eHRPD.
Garrett Lees, marketing manager for Agilent’s mobile broadband operation, said that “Adding high-quality voice services to the all-IP LTE network presents unique challenges for equipment developers and network operators.” Agilent’s solution, he added, “helps developers accelerate adoption of their design and ensures voice-over-LTE devices comply with Verizon network requirements.”
Spirent Communications also launched the next generation of its high-speed Ethernet test hardware. Spirent says its new dX2 model “offers the industry’s first 8-port 40GbE/32-port 10GbE dual-speed test module in a single slot configuration packing up to 96 ports of 40GbE onto a single chassis” and tests top of rack switches, end of row switches, and data center fabrics across hundreds or thousands of ports. The test modules are designed for functional, conformance and performance testing of service provider, data center, SDN or cloud infrastructure systems.
