ALifecom, the premier IP service and test solution provider for wireless communication in Taiwan, hosted its Tech Day 2024 on January 12. ALifecom invited RichWave, Astro Digital and VIAVI Solutions as guest speakers to discuss topics of Non-Terrestrial Networks and Wi-Fi 7 core technologies. Live demonstrations of ALifecom testing solutions were showcased during the event. A selected audience of key leaders and decision makers from the Taiwan communications industry were invited to the Tech Day.
Technical Challenges of 5G NTN: Delay, Attenuation and Doppler Frequency Shift
The long term evolution from 5G to B5G and 6G will be the combination and optimization of terrestrial networks and non-terrestrial networks (NTN). In today's new space era, in response to the miniaturization and privatization trends of satellites, investment in space has sky-rocketed, and 5G NTN technology has become increasingly important. The application of different types of satellites such as low earth orbit (LEO), MEO and GEO with transparent and regenerative architectures poses many technical challenges.
Dr. David Chen, chief knowledge officer of ALifecom, discussed that when verifying the user terminal (UT), the key is to correctly emulate satellite channel conditions during R&D and production stage. The NTN channel emulator must be configured with accurate dynamic delay, dynamic attenuation and Doppler frequency shift models to simulate the actual signal transmission conditions. Billy Wahng, Chief Technology Officer of Astro Digital, shared how to compensate for the Doppler frequency shift effect at both the device and satellite side through the design of LEO satellites. LEO satellite design is a trade-off between cost, coverage and data rate. Johnson Tay, Business Development Lead of VIAVI Solutions, also shared insights into the applications and deployment challenges of NTN from the perspective of testing satellite communications, including using different UTs for large-scale testing to ensure communication performance, coverage, security, etc.
Focus on Wi-Fi 7: Not only “high throughput” but intricate deployment scenarios involving high traffic and density.
Wi-Fi 7 offers faster speeds, higher data rates, wider bandwidth and lower latency in comparison to the existing Wi-Fi 6. Its potential applications span across video streaming, AR/VR, and others. Beyond emphasizing high throughput, this technology is strategically crafted to accommodate higher load, increased density and more complex application scenarios in the future.
Jeremy Yen, the business development manager at ALifecom, delved into Wi-Fi 7 standardization timeline, global frequency allocation and technical aspects such as Multi-Link Operation, Multi-AP Coordination, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request and Multi-Resource Unit. Dr. Shyh Chyi Wong, the Founder and President of RichWave, provided a comprehensive analysis of the Wi-Fi 7 from the perspective of RF front-end. This included a detailed exploration of improving EVM, linearity, and how digital predistortion (DPD) will play a crucial role in energy efficiency optimization. Additionally, she advanced the discourse on the application, advantages and disadvantages of linear and nonlinear PAs in this field.
ALifecom, the sole leading manufacturer in Asia with NTN and Wi-Fi 7 solutions
Established in 2009, ALifecom is dedicated to advancing wireless communication technology. ALifecom possesses several fundamental patents and offers adaptable customized services. Alongside the expertise in 4G/5G mobile network testing, ALifecom has recently introduced and showcased IoT-NTN and Wi-Fi 7 measurement solutions during Tech Day 2024.