Azimuth Systems Inc., a provider of automated, real-world mobile performance test solutions, announced new capabilities for the ACE™channel emulation portfolio that directly address LTE-Advanced test requirements. With these new capabilities, Azimuth continues the market-focused evolution of its integrated, end-to-end mobile performance test platform, giving customers the benefit of the only organically developed, integrated suite of test solutions capable of addressing the complete life cycle, from R&D to post-launch.

LTE-Advanced is designed to deliver a peak data rate of 1 Gbps, along with other subscriber benefits, and limited network deployments are underway.  This next generation technology employs features including carrier aggregation and coordinated multi-point, requiring coordination across multiple wireless links.  Azimuth’s market-leading ACE™ MX and MX2 channel emulators are adding new capabilities to address the industry’s evolving testing needs, with features including:

  • Multi-link channel emulator topologies designed for applications where channel and link density are critical factors, which feature support for configurations of up to 16 RF links and 64 digital fading channels;
  • Reciprocal Path Loss, which provides an intelligent mapping of dynamic downlink models to the uplink channel;
  • Automation for complete test bed control including user equipment, network emulators and diagnostic monitors, all run by a sophisticated test executive on a single PC.

These capabilities are designed to support multi-RAT and carrier aggregation test beds, and availability is ideally timed to match the needs of operators, OEMs and chipset vendors for full-scale testing.

“In working with our installed base of leading operators and OEMs worldwide, we have responded to the need to begin testing the unique features of LTE-Advanced in support of wide-scale deployments starting late 2013.  Our announcement today responds to that need and maintains Azimuth’s lead in real world testing,” said Erik Org, director of product management, Azimuth Systems.  “Due to our seamless, organically developed architecture, our ACE channel emulators can also be integrated into our modular, fully automated, end-to-end platform for mobile performance testing.”

Azimuth’s senior executives will be attending Mobile World Congress, February 25-28, in Barcelona, and welcome visitors to meet with them in Hall 7, Stand 7I90.