Aeroflex launched an LTE version of its industry-standard TM500 multi-handset (multi-UE) test mobile designed to accelerate the pace of LTE development projects. Aeroflex won a contract to supply a major infrastructure equipment vendor with the TM500 LTE Multi-UE test mobile. Up to 32 LTE handset UEs are provided in one multi-UE test mobile, simplifying tasks like functional network testing with multiple UEs and performance measurement of resource scheduling algorithms. An LTE cell can be loaded with multiple UEs using a repeatable time profile in a controlled test environment. All 3GPP UE categories will be supported with aggregate data rates from 75 Mbps on the uplink to 300 Mbps on the downlink.
After network infrastructure functional testing has been completed with a single handset (UE), the next step is to test with a second UE, then a third and so on.
System diagnosis is complicated when independent UEs are used, as each UE attempts to interact with the network separately. A tool such as the TM500 LTE Multi-UE is required because it can repeatedly generate a test scenario involving a user-defined number of UEs.
The TM500 LTE Multi-UE can operate multiple UEs on the same test platform with a single point of control. In addition to functional multi-UE testing, using the same test platform enables specific tests that require UE coordination for which it is not feasible to use independent handsets.
TM500 Multi-UE Test Mobile can also be upgraded to support hundreds of UEs for load and stress testing as well as with third-party capacity test products.