Anritsu Company introduces software enhancements to its MD8430A Signaling Tester that make it the first LTE network simulator to support Time Division Duplex LTE (TD-LTE) Carrier Aggregation (CA) test functionality. Coupled with existing Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) LTE CA test capability, as well as leading-edge LTE Advanced functions, including enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) and advanced beamforming functionality, the MD8430A is the industry’s leading platform for device testing from development to certification and carrier acceptance.

The MD8430A is a scalable LTE network simulator, with five models ranging from functional to performance, and available software options for both FDD and TD-LTE for any model. With the addition of the new MD8430A-085 Carrier Aggregation option to either of the two top models, two Component Carriers (CCs) with 2x2 MIMO are available in the downlink (up to 40 MHz total), with support for Category 6 and up to 300 MB/s downlink throughput.

To address the accelerating evolution of LTE networks to denser Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets), the MD8430A capabilities have also been upgraded to include time-domain and frequency-domain eICIC test capabilities. These new capabilities leverage the MD8430A LTE network simulator’s advances, including the latest Channel State Information (CSI) feedback, advanced multi-layer beamforming, and CA capabilities such as cross-carrier scheduling.

“Anritsu is pleased to support TD-LTE Carrier Aggregation and the latest LTE Advanced features in the MD8430A,” said Wade Hulon, General Manager and Vice President of Anritsu Company. “This launch offers the device supply chain with an ideal solution for testing mobile devices against a simulated LTE network, whether it is a single cell or the complex multi-cell scenarios presented by HetNets with Carrier Aggregation.”

The MD8430A LTE network simulator can simulate up to two active and four interfering LTE base stations on up to four RF channels. A mix of FDD and Time Division Duplex (TDD) base stations can be simulated, with multiple MIMO configurations possible for each base station, including SISO, 2x2 MIMO or 4x2 MIMO. A full lineup of advanced Rel. 8, 9, and 10 features are available, including Carrier Aggregation, multi-layer beamforming, Enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS), Robust Header Compression (RoHC), Semi Persistent Scheduling (SPS), and others. The MD8430A is a building block for Anritsu’s LTE Conformance and Carrier Acceptance Test (CAT) solutions, including the ME7873L LTE RF Conformance Test System and ME7834L Mobile Device Test System for Protocol Conformance and Carrier Acceptance Test.