At this week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Agilent Technologies Inc. introduced a measurement receiver for mobile WiMAX, extending the technology support of its existing drive test receiver platform. This receiver enables network equipment manufacturers and wireless operators' RF engineering teams to effectively deploy, optimize and troubleshoot mobile WiMAX networks by quickly identifying coverage and interference problems. The Agilent W1314A platform has options to support GSM, UMTS, IS95, cdma2000, 1xEVDO, iDEN and WiMAX technologies.

Article Tools

• 

As WiMAX technology matures and more advanced network designs are realized, it is important to maximize the effectiveness of drive-test teams by providing them the ability to quickly and accurately collect RF measurement data. The new receiver integrates with the Agilent E6474A network optimization software to provide a core of RF coverage data, technology-specific interference and optimization measurements.

"As mobile WiMAX begins to compete head on with other 3G and 3.5G technologies, there is even greater need to validate the network design and performance targets as quickly as possible," said Jonathan Dunbar, general manager of Agilent's Drive Test business. "Unlike a standard mobile WiMAX subscriber device, the network independent receiver measurements enable users to clearly see individual sector coverage areas and validate that they meet the design criteria."

Benefits of the W1314A-E01 receiver include:

• The ability to quickly troubleshoot handover and missing-neighbor issues, confirm coverage and pinpoint interference sources;
• Support of up to eight frequency bands, which allows 2.3, 2.5 and 3.5 GHZ mobile WiMAX networks to be monitored by a single, compact solution;
• Small form factor and rugged casing, which makes the solution easy to carry and able to withstand the rough environment of field-based testing; and
• A built-in high sensitivity GPS that offers significantly enhanced position-reporting performance in dense urban environments and in many indoor situations.

The W1314A receiver platform is available now with pricing varying with configuration.

www.agilent.com/find/e6474a