Aeroflex and EXFO NetHawk Launch LTE Network Capacity Test Solution

SOFTWARE/HARDWARE: Aeroflex and NetHawk announced that they have developed a complete system for LTE network capacity testing over RF with real data services and applications.

The EAST500 is a single integrated test system based upon proven test solutions: Aeroflex’s LTE RF air interface technology integrated with NetHawk’s load test capability. Both companies are leaders in LTE test. The Aeroflex TM500 Series UE Test Mobile is the de facto industry standard for testing LTE infrastructure equipment. The NetHawk EAST system is deployed for LTE load test simulation by a majority of network vendors worldwide.

The EAST500 hardware is flexible and scalable depending upon the number of UEs and number of cells required. The system offers true end-to-end LTE load testing over RF in both FDD (frequency division duplex) and TDD (time division duplex) environments. The EAST500 was successfully demonstrated at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona, where more LTE UEs over RF were shown than any other test solution presented at the show.

The Aeroflex LTE RF air interface integrated within EAST500 is the most widely deployed LTE UE RF test solution. The Aeroflex TM500 has already completed inter-operability testing with every major infrastructure vendor worldwide. Aeroflex’s installed base allows EAST500 to dramatically reduce the time taken by manufacturers to get up and running. Compared to alternative solutions, the EAST500 reduces test time from months to days.

-Edited by Kelsey Anderson