Rohde & Schwarz has verified assisted-GPS (AGPS) performance in a commercial mobile device, while simultaneously transferring data using 5G mmWave. This capability is now available with the Rohde & Schwarz TS-Location Based Services (LBS) test system. 

5G NR utilizes frequencies in the FR1 frequency range (<7.125 GHz) and in the FR2 mmWave frequency range (>24 GHz). FR2 creates unique challenges for mobile devices in terms of power consumption and heat. With FR2 becoming more common in North American mobile devices, performance of critical services such as E911 emergency calls cannot be allowed to degrade when utilizing this mmWave spectrum. 

When used together in the TS-LBS test system, the R&S CMX500 radio communication tester and R&S CMW500 wideband radio communication tester provide a seamless and comprehensive test platform capable of testing LTE, 5G NR FR1 and FR2, while the R&S SMBV100B vector signal generator simulates the GPS L1 and L5, GALILEO, GLONASS and BEIDOU satellite constellations for A-GNSS. Other positioning technologies that use barometric pressure sensors, Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth are also available in the same solution. Legacy technologies like GSM, WCDMA and LTE are all supported using the same hardware.

“The addition of FR2 mmWave to our TS-LBS test solution gives customers the latest capabilities needed to continue certifying their mobile devices to evolving 5G standards,” said Bryan Helmick, Rohde & Schwarz. “Customers can easily add 5G to existing LTE TS-LBS systems with the simple addition of an R&S CMX500. FR2 support only requires some hardware on the R&S CMX500 and an R&S CMQ500 mmWave shield cube.”