The ongoing covid-19 pandemic will have a negative impact on the proliferation of internet of things devices this year, and subsequently impact the need for related IoT test equipment, according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan. The one exception, the company noted, will be the testing of machine-to-machine devices for the healthcare vertical — which is expected to see the fastest growth of all IoT applications through 2025.
But the analyst firm also expects a  rebound by 2021 and for the IoT test equipment market to expand over the coming years from about $2.4 billion in 2019 to $3.25 billion by 2025, a compound annual growth rate of more than 5%.
“5G development for IoT use cases will continue to be important during the pandemic. Given the complex nature of its deployment, there would be a requirement for software-based testing solutions that can test virtualized 5G network slices as well as test broad frequency spectrums,” said Rohan Joy Thomas, measurement and instrumentation analyst for Frost & Sullivan. “Going forward, understanding the performance of proprietary applications on connected devices outside the enterprise secure network infrastructure is a key challenge that test and measurement companies need to resolve.”
He went on to say that IoT testing of connected home devices are the most dominant sector of the market and represent nearly 46% of all IoT test applications, but emphasized that testing for connected health applications will see the highest CAGR of all IoT applications through 2025, driven in part by pandemic response.
In other test news this week:
–Keysight Technologies said that it snagged the first Global Certification Forum certification for 5G universal subscriber identity module (USIM) protocol conformance test cases. “Early access to validated 5G USIM protocol conformance test cases enable a connected 5G ecosystem to speed delivery of 5G services that rely on advanced security, reliability and subscription models,” said Muthu Kumaran, senior director of Keysight’s wireless test group, in a statement. “Integrating USIM and USIM application toolkit (USAT) capabilities within Keysight’s device test solution eliminates the need for a separate SIM simulator, leading to quick and easy testing of a device’s performance across various technologies.”
In related company news, Keysight said that SK Telecom will be using its test solutions to verify the performance of 5G devices on its network. Keysight also announced this week that it is collaborating with virtual drive testing technology company IPG Automotive and vehicle-to-everything communications software specialist Nordsys on a modular test platform for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving functions.
–PCTel added a new, automated reporting feature to its SeeHawk Collect network testing software, for use with its scanning receivers for cellular, public safety and private wireless networks. The company said that within minutes of completing a test drive or walk, users can generate printable reports with one click that summarize the testing event, including maps and charts that outline the KPIs and measurements.
