Anritsu Corporation (President Hirokazu Hashimoto) is pleased to announce the June 29 launch of its new Signalling Tester MD8475B for R&D sections evaluating the performance of UEs supporting various communication standards, including the latest LTE-Advanced specification.

The newly developed all-in-one MD8475B tester is designed for R&D sections developing smartphones and running performance tests and IP layer throughput tests of the latest UEs equipping with four component carrier aggregation (4 CC CA) and 2x2MIMO technologies. The MD8475B removes the needs for test scenarios by using SmartStudio state-machine software featuring an easy-to-use GUI and the stable automatic measurement environment.

The widespread use of high-function mobile terminals such as smartphones is driving an explosive increase in data traffic volumes. The latest LTE-Advanced technology offering faster speeds than its LTE predecessor is being deployed increasingly worldwide to cope with higher traffic. The key technologies in achieving these faster speeds are carrier aggregation (CA), which aggregates several component carriers together, and MIMO, which uses multiple input and output antennas. They result in a complex test environment due to the increased RF number. In addition, the need for Inter-RAT tests with existing legacy systems requires a tester supporting both simple and stable UE performance evaluations.

To meet these needs Anritsu has developed the all-in-one MD8475B tester offering a 4CC CA test environment to R&D sections developing LTE-Advanced terminals. With its simple and easy-to-use SmartStudio GUI, it is the perfect solution for LTE-Advanced and 2G/3G Inter-RAT test performance evaluations.

Key Features

• All-in-one support for 4CC CA and 2x2MIMO evaluations
The MD8475B is the world’s first all-in-one tester supporting both 4CC CA and 2x2 MIMO with easy scenario-less operation using the SmartStudio GUI. It cuts equipment costs and saves workspace by removing the need for several measuring instruments to improve development efficiency.

• Improved IP Throughput test efficiency
The IP Throughput test evaluation environment for 4CC CAT requires configuration of a high performance server environment. With its built-in IP Generator function, the MD8475B simplifies the test environment byremoving the need for an external server.

• Expandable platform supportingfrequency up to 6GHz
The MD8475B platform is designed for futureproof expandability. Its platform design is for evaluating UEs using the 5-GHz unlicensed band driven forward by LAA for LTE specifications and W-LAN.

• Full backwardcompatibility with current Signalling Tester MD8475A and scenario-less SmartStudio GUI
SmartStudio facilitates quick and easy UE evaluation without requiring complex test scenarios. SmartStudio for the Signalling Tester MD8475A has been the ideal test solution for many users at every stage from the early development of LTE smartphones thru to the mature market, including call processing normal and quasi-normal tests, emergency and early warning tests such as ETWS, mobility tests, IMS tests such as VoLTE/RCS, WiFi offload tests, and more.

• Preparing the automation tool SmartStudio Manager contributestothe improving development and verification test efficiency by using SmartStudio Manager supporting automated UE testing.

Automating control tool SmartStudio Manager for SmartStudio plays a key role in improving development efficiency by offering seamless transitions to regression and stress tests done at the downstream of UE development processes where the automated test environment is required. In addition to making full re-use ofexisting assets of test cases created with MD8475A, StmartStudio Manager can also automates the enormous number of required full network tests by calculating the combinations of CC numbers, MIMO numbers, and supported wireless frequency bands required for LTE-Advanced evaluations.

Target Markets: Chipset makers, module makers, mobile phone makers, communications carriers

Applications: Development of chipsets, modules, and mobile phones; carrier acceptance tests of mobile phone performance.