With commercial 5G deployments gathering pace globally, field service teams are facing the challenge of successfully deploying and operating new network infrastructure that has a radically different architecture from previous cellular generations.
Providing the industry with an integrated package of proven test equipment that combines all the necessary functional, RF, and signaling tests for 5G installation and troubleshooting, the 5G Site Testing Solution (5G STS) gives network field service engineers a powerful test toolkit to accelerate the process of site acceptance and troubleshooting new cell sites.
The 5G STS comprises the TSMA6 receiver plus the TSME30DC downconverter, the handheld network troubleshooter QualiPoc Android, and the Cable Rider ZPH analyzer.
At the core of the solution is the TSMA6 autonomous receiver that uses Automatic Channel Detection (ACD) to show all LTE and 5G signals, identify channel frequency, and decode the PCI/SSBs information in order to provide quality analysis of the signal. The addition of the QualiPoc Android smartphone enables field service engineers to detect the presence of a 5G carrier and to verify the fundamental parameters of uplink speed, downlink speed, and latency. QualiPoc Android can conduct cell and beam quality measurements and verify the presence and quality of the LTE anchor cell, which is essential in 5G non-stand-alone (NSA) mode.
The optional Cable Rider ZPH, which combines spectral analyzer and cable and antenna tester functionality, can measure the occupied bandwidth of the 5G carrier. Using a time gate, it isolates the uplink signal, which is important for interference hunting in TDD networks. The zero span feature enables the SSB to be viewed in the time domain and to determine how many beams there are. The Cable Rider ZPH can also measure optical power and RF-conducted measurements of VSWR and distance-to-fault at the cell site.
With the 5G STS, field service engineers benefit from Automated Channel Detection (ACD) to automatically configure the receiver with the correct measurement settings rather than to manually enter them into the instrument. The solution is also significantly faster and more sensitive than a traditional spectrum analyzer. It can run 5G and LTE tests simultaneously, and it executes all necessary tests for efficient 5G site verification and troubleshooting in one integrated package.
