Rohde & Schwarz, a leading supplier of test and measurement equipment for wireless applications announced that their small cell testing solution, the R&S CMP200 radio communication tester has been validated by Qualcomm Technologies. Now, OEMs of small cell infrastructure equipment operating in the mmWave range (FR2) can use the QDART for Small Cells and benefit from the unique features of the R&S CMP200 like ultrafast measurement speed and parallel testing of multiple DUTs.

Small cells offer network operators the possibility to increase the capacity of existing wireless networks and meet the demands for data capacity that come with 5G use cases. They can be used in public and private networks within buildings or outside scenarios, resulting in a growing demand for small cell infrastructure. The Qualcomm FSM100 5G RAN Platform has been adopted by many manufacturers and cellular infrastructure providers around the world due to its scalability and cost-effectiveness. Its form factor and power level are designed to address indoor and outdoor densification requirements for 5G networks and fast-paced network upgrades to 5G.

The R&S CMP200 is a non-signaling solution for 5G mmWave RF parametric testing. As an IF tester, it combines vector signal analyzer and ARB-based generator functionality. The compact integrated solution can be customized with up to three R&S CMPHEAD30 remote radio heads (RRH), for up and down-converting signals to 5G FR2 frequencies. The separate one-box tester and the R&S CMPHEAD30 RRH concept allow short RF cable lengths for an optimal link budget in radiated test environments. This approach enables the testing of fully assembled FR2 devices and RFICs with both IF and mmWave RF interfaces.

Designed for R&D and production environments, the R&S CMP200 is optimized for user equipment testing and has been validated by Qualcomm Technologies accordingly. With the added testing functionality for small cell testing and support by QDART for Small Cells, the R&S CMP200 test platform is designed to be a future-proof investment for OEMs.

Christoph Pointner, Senior Vice President Mobile Radio Testers at Rohde & Schwarz, said: “OEMs worldwide rely on Qualcomm Technologies’ platform for their small cell products. Our R&S CMP200 is a tried and tested solution for 5G NR device testing. With its new functionality specializing in small cell testing, which is already validated for QDART for Small Cells, OEMs can be confident that our test solution is ready to fulfill their testing needs, whether for in the lab or production line.”

Gerardo Giaretta, Senior Director, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., said: “With the QDART for Small Cells validation of the R&S CMP200, both Qualcomm Technologies and Rohde & Schwarz are further enabling OEMs and cellular infrastructure providers to efficiently and cost-effectively scale 5G networks. With the Qualcomm FSM100 5G RAN Platform’s unmatched data speeds, capacity, power efficiency, and global band support, vendors that integrate with this solution, for which the R&S CMP200 is optimized, will be better prepared for the next generation of connectivity.”