Spectrum clearing
During the planning stages and prior to repurposing or reallocating an existing band (or before rolling out a new cell site), operators need to make sure that any previously occupied spectrum (at a specified band) is free of unwanted legacy signals. Unwelcomed signals can create interference that is problematic for both LTE and 5G networks. EXFO’s 5GPro Spectrum Analyzer (including RTSA) can determine if unwanted signals exist and when present, help field techs locate their source through interference hunting.
5G and 4G/LTE cell site installation
5G is deploying at a fast pace requiring the installation and turnup of thousands of new 5G sites. Since copper connections are a thing of the past, mobile network operators and contractors must expand their testing capabilities to include the use of RF spectrum analyzers to validate 5G installations. The 5GPro Spectrum Analyzer enables field techs to perform 4G/5G signal analysis, including beam analysis, to quickly detect and troubleshoot problems by identifying the root cause of poor antenna and beamforming performance.
RF interference hunting
Spectrum in 4G/LTE and the lower bands of 5G (i.e., sub-6 Ghz) are becoming more crowded. Home electronics and commercial devices using adjacent spectrum can cause interference within operator networks affecting mobile device quality of service. As operators deploy higher frequency bands (mmWave) new types of interference will emerge and must be addressed. In addition, today’s spectrum analyzers must support new channel bandwidth requirements. EXFO’s 5GPro Spectrum Analyzer enables field technicians to troubleshoot interference issues quickly and accurately. Our real-time spectrum analyzer (RTSA) supports both 4G/5G FR1 and 5G FR2 frequency bands and real-time spectrum analysis up to 100 MHz.
DAS validation and troubleshooting
Distributed antenna systems (DAS) are shared between operators and the only way to test the RF power level is by plugging directly into existing TAP ports on a DAS system. Whenever there is an issue, this will be the first course of action as it will verify whether the other vendors are transmitting at too high a power level, as a result causing the interference, PIM or power level issue. The 5GPro Spectrum Analyzer validates RF power levels and displays the spectrum while plugged directly into the RF TAP port of a DAS system.
