Rohde & Schwarz is introducing two new setups for 5G RF and RRM conformance testing. The R&S TS8980S-4A is a cost-efficient single-box solution tailored to 3GPP in-band test cases, and the R&S TS8980FTA-3A is a single-rack solution covering all in-band and out-of-band test cases. No other solution on the market offers the same capabilities in such a compact format.

The R&S TS8980 is an official 5G conformance test platform approved by the Global Certification Forum and the PCS Type Certification Review Board. Chipset, modem and end device manufacturers as well as test houses can use the test system to perform RF (TP298) and RRM (TP296) tests in line with 3GPP specifications. The platform also meets the test requirements of network operators and regulatory bodies.

Rohde & Schwarz has developed two new setups for its successful R&S TS8980 family: the R&S TS8980S-4A and the R&S TS8980FTA-3A. These solutions meet the market requirements for reduced hardware and a smaller footprint.

The single-box solution R&S TS8980S-4A is a fully automated conformance test system for performing validated conformance test cases up to 8 GHz and 4 carrier aggregation (4 CA). Based on an enhanced R&S CMX500 one-box 5G signaling tester (OBT), it is a cost-efficient solution that supports 3GPP Rx/Tx in-band conformance test cases, demodulation and radio resource management (RRM) test cases. Customers can also upgrade their R&S CMX500 to a R&S TS8980S-4A. This solution is particularly attractive for 5G device manufacturers who want to perform in-band testing inhouse and outsource out-of-band testing to a test house. The automation is based on the R&S Contest software platform with an intuitive GUI, advanced tools for fast debugging and a sophisticated report manager for big data analysis and cloud services.

The single-rack solution R&S TS8980FTA-3A is the most compact conformance test solution on the market. It supports the full range of both in-band and out-of-band test cases and the entire device certification process for RF and RRM, covering 5G NR as defined by 3GPP and carrier acceptance specifications. Typically, these capabilities require a two-rack solution. Now, Rohde & Schwarz has succeeded in reducing the footprint of this test system to a single-rack setup, allowing it to be installed in laboratories with limited floor space.

Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its conformance test systems at Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona in hall 5, booth 5A80.