One-Box Signaling Tester Speeds 5G NR Voice Service Verification

Nov. 23, 2022

The R&S CMX500 5G one-box signaling tester provides a comprehensive audio-testing tool set for HEAD acoustics.

This article appeared in Microwaves & RF and has been published here with permission.

HEAD acoustics, a leader in voice and audio analysis, chose the 5G test solution from Rohde & Schwarz for verification of 5G mobile-device voice and audio services.

Offering debugging and analysis capabilities in a reduced footprint for easier handling, the upgraded R&S CMX500 5G one-box signaling tester offers a comprehensive tool set for audio testing. HEAD acoustics leveraged its ACQUA measurement and analysis software with the labCORE hardware platform to enable audio acoustics testing of voice services in 5G (VoNR) and 4G (VoLTE) networks.

The one-instrument solution can test 5G NR devices in both standalone and non-standalone TDD and FDD mode at a 5G FR1 frequency range of up to 8 GHz, and FR2 mmWave frequency range up to 50 GHz. Providing the features and codecs for VoLTE and VoNR calls, and functionality like Connection Selection, it’s easier to configure and adapt the device under test to the test setup, thanks to handling and visualization of the DUT antenna connection with the RF connectors of the R&S CMX500.

In addition, a Bearer and Flow Monitor enables the user to see different quality-of-service flows such as video or audio live via the connection. All audio properties can be visualized, including bit rate and codec within the flow stream.

The HEAD acoustics labCORE system is connected via Ethernet using the integrated IP forward mode of the internal R&S CMX500 IMS server. Thus, users can forward the voice data of a call established to the labCORE system for detailed voice-quality analysis. Analog connection with the labCore system also is supported.

About the Author

Alix Paultre | Editor-at-Large, Electronic Design

An Army veteran, Alix Paultre was a signals intelligence soldier on the East/West German border in the early ‘80s, and eventually wound up helping launch and run a publication on consumer electronics for the US military stationed in Europe. Alix first began in this industry in 1998 at Electronic Products magazine, and since then has worked for a variety of publications in the embedded electronic engineering space. Alix currently lives in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Also check out his YouTube watch-collecting channel, Talking Timepieces.