TEST & MEASUREMENT

Test and measurement products provide functionality that stimulates network operation using voice calls and data connections while recording key performance indicators. Engineers can examine diagnostic data to analyze air interface problems and identify solutions that improve performance.

Mobile technology has changed significantly since the first FDMA networks became available in the 1980’s. Today’s technology allows consumer devices such as smart phones and tablet PCs, to communicate over the network with low latency, high data rate, packet data transactions. Wireless services are moving from an era of circuit switched voice calls to a diverse set of packet switched services. These changes have resulted in ever more complex standards that push up the cost of network infrastructure and engineering.

LTE is the next stage of mobile technology evolution. It offers many improvements including an all IP core network that dramatically simplifies network infrastructure. These steps toward simplification are a welcome change for network carriers yet the complexity of air interface engineering remains. Field measurement plays a critical role in network deployment, insuring that signal coverage reaches users with optimal quality and performance.

Meritech offers several tools for testing the air interface of wireless networks. Our flagship Sigma-LA product collects diagnostic data for technologies such as LTE, HSPA, WCDMA, EDGE, GPRS, and GSM. Network benchmarking is achieved using iSpot where multiple competing networks can be compared side-by-side. For wireless LANs, iSite offers an integrated platform for both survey and design.