Munich — The GSMA is organizing Mobile World Congress 2021 (MWC21) to take place in Barcelona from June 28 to July 1 as a fully hybrid event, so that participants are able to connect in person or online. Rohde & Schwarz will showcase under the slogan “Enabling mobile connectivity – today & beyond” a wide variety of leading test innovations for 5G mobile devices, infrastructure equipment and mobile networks, plus solutions for private networks, automotive connectivity and early 6G technology in a two-way approach: Live at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, in Hall 3, booth 3K30, and with supporting virtual activities on a dedicated webpage called Rohde & Schwarz Signals, which will go online for MWC21.
5G reality & evolution
5G networks are being rolled out worldwide, some networks using an LTE anchor, others fully standalone (SA), some using millimeter-wave bands. Mastering the complexities of the technology is only possible with accurate and reliable test equipment, fully conforming to the current 3GPP specifications, and prepared for future developments of the technology. At MWC21, Rohde & Schwarz is demonstrating its test solutions for 5G for the entire ecosystem, from chipsets and devices to infrastructure and networks, across the complete lifecycle, from development and conformance to production, deployment and operation.
The virtual and tradeshow highlights revolve around the future-proof solution for 5G NR device testing, the R&S CMX500 radio communication tester. At MWC21 it will demonstrate enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) end-to-end tests achieving extremely high throughput using eight component carriers in FR1 and FR2 using 256QAM modulation. Another demo will showcase 5G voice over NR (VoNR) voice services. Carrier acceptance tests in the FR2 millimeter frequency bands, using Over-the-air (OTA) measurements in the extremely compact CATR antenna test system R&S ATS800R will be on display, as well. For infrastructure tests of advanced wireless components used for instance in 5G NR base stations, Rohde & Schwarz showcases its duo of an R&S SMM100A vector signal generator and R&S FSVA3000 signal and spectrum analyzer, bringing laboratory performance and matching RF characteristics to midrange test instruments, ideal for mass market applications.
From its mobile network testing portfolio, Rohde & Schwarz presents solutions for 5G NR site acceptance and site deployment as well as network engineering, optimization and troubleshooting. Visitors can learn about the successful R&S TSMx drive and walk test scanner family offering simultaneous measurements of 3GPP multi-standard networks. The ultracompact scanners already cover FR1 and FR2 frequency ranges and are used by operators of 5G networks worldwide for network optimization applications. For network benchmarking, the R&S Freerider 4 backpack supporting up to 12 test mobile phones is on display. The collected data can be analyzed with SmartAnalytics, providing operators with QoE insights into their network’s performance.
Private networks
With 5G Release 16, private networks for many industrial applications such as factories, transportation and energy facilities are becoming reality, providing an agile, adaptable and automated environment. At Mobile World Congress, Rohde & Schwarz is exhibiting its test solutions like the R&S 5G STS tool for deployment, troubleshooting and site acceptance. The solutions enable a faster rollout, efficient use of network resources, and awareness of issues before they become critical, at every phase of the 5G private network lifecycle. Having installed a 5G campus network in 2020 at its own plant in Teisnach, Germany, Rohde & Schwarz is able to optimize its own test offerings based on the experience and valuable insights from private network operation.
Automotive
The progression of Cellular-V2X communication from LTE to 5G presents the automotive industry with new opportunities for ultra-low latency and highly reliable vehicle connectivity, both key enablers for fully autonomous vehicles. At MWC21, Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing a complete range of C-V2X testing solutions for R&D, both in the laboratory and in the field for reliable real-world data, which ensure the performance and reliability of critical automotive network communications.
6G
5G will dominate the mobile radio market for many years, but what will follow? Fundamental research on what the next generation of wireless communications may look like has already begun. The D-Band from 110 GHz to 170 GHz includes potential 6G candidate frequencies, currently being investigated for short-range communication with ultra-high data rates. For MWC21, Rohde & Schwarz is presenting OTA measurements of antenna characteristics in the sub-THz region up to 170 GHz.
Conference Program
In addition to the booth presence, Rohde & Schwarz participates in the conference program of MWC21. Peter Riedel, President, and COO of Rohde & Schwarz will share his insights as one of the expert speakers in the session called “Building security & creating a trust for the connected device” and Bosco Novak, Executive Vice President Technology Systems at Rohde & Schwarz, will be part of the “5G IoT for industry 4.0” panel discussion.
