In the test and measurement space this week, vendors are gearing up for the CTIA show and highlighting new wares focused on LTE-Advanced and “5G.”
– Anritsu launched new support for fading in LTE-A scenarios and support for 4×4 and 8×2 multiple-input/multiple-output technology, additional test enablement for E911 and GLONASS location technologies and expanded OTDR support for its handheld Network Master Pro instrument.
– Keysight Technologies added half a dozen millimeter-wave models to its FieldFox handheld analyzers, and said the solution is the industry’s first to support coverage up to the 50 GHz band. The company also introduced a PXIe multi-port vector network analyzer for the testing necessary in high-volume manufacturing of front-end switches, filters and modules for mobile devices and base stations.
Keysight also announced its newest acquisition this week, purchasing a U.K.-based test equipment calibration and repair company. Read more details on that story here.
– Rohde & Schwarz said it will be spotlighting its work and solutions in the area of 5G at the CTIA show next week, including demos on ultra-wideband signal analysis for 5G-related device and component development, 5G waveform exploration and millimeter-wave component testing.
– Viavi is still hearing from activist shareholder Sandell Asset Management after the organization protested the split of JDSU into Viavi and Lumentum. Sandell sent Viavi a letter outlining what it feels are the best strategic steps for the company to take, including “refreshing and materially enhancing the quality of Viavi’s board of directors,” hiring an operational consulting firm and an independent financial advisor and a new management team.
According to the letter, Sandell believes Viavi would be most profitable if it sold its remaining business operations and became a “platform company” with the aim of acquiring other profitable businesses.
– LSR, which performs wireless testing and focuses in particular on machine-to-machine and “Internet of Things” connectivity relying on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other wireless technologies, recently expanded testing facilities at its main campus in Cedarburg, Wisc.
The new test chamber dedicated to antenna testing features a custom system developed with The Howland Company for accurate three-dimensional antenna performance testing and insight into spherical antenna pattern data.
“Historically, wireless product developers would rely on measurements in just three planes to estimate an antenna’s performance,” said Dave Burleton, VP of marketing for LSR, in a statement. “With today’s advances in wireless technologies and its use in mobile and wearable devices, the need for a complete spherical measurement is critical. With a full three-dimensional antenna scan, the developer can more accurately and comprehensively assess the antenna design’s expected performance in the real world.”
