Rohde & Schwarz is pioneering 5G New Radio (5G NR) network measurements with the world’s first commercially available 5G NR network measurement solution. This solution enables users in the 5G network ecosystem as well as regulators to measure the 5G NR network coverage accurately–one of the biggest challenges in network planning. With this solution, users can also verify the correct operation of beamforming and interworking between 5G and other technologies.

With the 5G NR network rollout clearly on the horizon, network operators worldwide are planning pre-commercial network trials in 2018 and 2019. Their goal is to overcome the challenge of a more demanding and complex air interface and to deliver the commercial and technical benefits offered by 5G to their customers.

Rohde & Schwarz supports the industry by launching the world’s first commercial 5G NR network measurement solution. It consists of a network scanner with matching 5G NR scanning software and the R&S ROMES4 drive test software suite. The solution has been tried and tested in the field in pre-commercial 5G NR network trials conducted by Rohde & Schwarz in support of a tier 1 operator and a global 5G NR infrastructure supplier. Rohde & Schwarz will present its new 5G NR network measurement solution to the public for the first time at Mobile World Congress Americas in Los Angeles from September 12 to 14, 2018.

Customers will be able to choose between two test scanners: the R&S TSME6 ultracompact drive test scanner or the R&S TSMA6 autonomous mobile network scanner featuring a built-in network PC. Both test scanners equipped with the 5G NR scanning software cover both standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) network architectures. In addition, the R&S ROMES4 drive test software provides analysis and visualization of all existing 3GPP technologies, such as GSM, UMTS/HSPA and LTE, including the IoT technologies NB-IoT and LTE-M. The drive test software either runs on the controlling laptop when used with the R&S TSME6 or on the built-in network PC of the R&S TSMA6, leaving measurement control to a simple tablet. Field measurements are facilitated by combining relevant test equipment with an appropriate antenna in a portable backpack or shoulder bag for efficient drive and walk testing.

The R&S ROMES4 software suite is designed to connect with 5G NR devices such as evaluation boards, USB dongles and pre-commercial smartphones as they become available. This allows adopters of 5G NR to gain early insights into a device’s performance and its interaction with real 5G NR networks. Rohde & Schwarz has successfully demonstrated this capability of its network measurement solutions during the introduction of previous mobile communications technologies.

Another benefit is that the 5G NR network measurement solution is fully integrated into the Rohde & Schwarz mobile network testing Smart platform. This platform provides intuitive and powerful drill down and analytics functions to maximize the value of the collected measurement data over the entire test cycle, from lab verification to field acceptance, troubleshooting, optimization, benchmarking and monitoring.

Dietmar Vahldiek, executive vice president Monitoring and Network Testing at Rohde & Schwarz, stated: “By launching the world’s first commercially available 5G NR network measurement solution, once again, we at Rohde & Schwarz prove our commitment to turn visions into reality. We enable our customers to be ahead in 5G by achieving superior 5G NR performance in all phases of the network lifecycle.”

The R&S TSME6 scanner with R&S TSME6-K50 5G NR scanning software, the R&S TSMA6 scanner with R&S TSMA6-K50 5G NR scanning software and the R&S ROMES4 drive test software for analysis and visualization of 5G NR and all other mobile technologies, are now available from Rohde & Schwarz.

The new Rohde & Schwarz 5G NR network test solution will be on display at Mobile World Congress Americas 2018, hall South, stand S.2814.