Rohde & Schwarz and MediaTek verified Mediatek’s 5G RedCap (reduced capability) test platform using Rohde & Schwarz’s CMX500 signaling tester.
The test platform can be used to test a new range of 5G standalone devices such as edge-AI and always connected wearables.
Rohde & Schwarz said it had tailored the R&S CMX500 OBT wireless communications tester to support RedCap and other Release 17 features.
Dr Ho-Chi Hwang, general manager of wireless communication system and partnerships at MediaTek, said: “Continuing our close collaboration with Rohde & Schwarz has enabled MediaTek to verify an important milestone towards the next era of 5G.
“MediaTek will bring the new capabilities of 5G RedCap into our next-gen product lines, and as one of the world’s largest 5G modem suppliers, this milestone gives our customers confidence in their strategic planning and innovation development.”
According to Rohde & Schwarz, 5G RedCap introduces mid-tier, enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC) to the 5G ecosystem and “will help launch a new wave of devices that bridge the capability and complexity gap between earlier low-speed narrowband internet of things (NB-IoT) standards and today’s 5G with an optimized design for mid-tier use cases, such as sensors in industrial automation, smart cameras and wearables.”
In contrast to 5G modems designed for eMBB use-cases, 5G RedCap modems are less complex, use less spectrum bandwidth, consume much less power and work only in standalone (SA) mode.
Christoph Pointner, senior vice president of mobile radio testers at Rohde & Schwarz, said: “I am really honored that our R&S CMX500 will help the industry advance 5G and address new device types that support 5G RedCap in early R&D stages. We are committed to our close and long-standing partnership with MediaTek, and we will continue to innovate further to support all future RedCap and 5G enhancements in upcoming 3GPP releases after 17.”