Latest Test and Measurement News

Test Collaboration for latest Wi-Fi 7 Access Point Chipsets

01 March 2023 - Rohde & Schwarz and Broadcom have successfully validated the R&S CMP180 radio communication tester for production testing of the latest Broadcom Wi-Fi 7 access point chipsets. A Wi-Fi 7 test setup with the R&S CMP180 and a Broadcom Wi-Fi 7 device will be demonstrated at the Rohde & Schwarz booth at the Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona.

Rohde & Schwarz and Broadcom Inc. have collaborated to enable the market launch of the next generation of Wi-Fi products. The two companies successfully tested the latest Broadcom 4x4 Wi-Fi 7 access point chipset with the R&S CMP180 radio communication tester. The R&S CMP180 supports Broadcom’s manufacturing test tools for access point terminals that integrate Broadcom Wi-Fi 7 chipsets in their products, including wireless LAN routers, residential gateways and enterprise access points. This is in addition to the recent announcement of a Rohde & Schwarz test solution for Broadcom mobile handset Wi-Fi 7 chipsets.

Next generation Wi-Fi brings new test challenges

Wi-Fi 7 is the next generation of Wi-Fi based on the upcoming IEEE 802.11be standard. With its extremely high throughput and other features, the new technology will enable unparalleled experiences in the home that include high-speed connectivity with low latency for gaming, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications for an immersive user experience.

Validation of Wi-Fi 7 access points requires test solutions that support the latest Wi-Fi features such as 320 MHz wide channels, operation in the 6 GHz band, and high-order modulation schemes such as 4096-QAM, while providing the EVM and scalability required for best-in-class performance and reliability. The R&S CMP180 radio communication tester from Rohde & Schwarz is a future-proof non-signaling test solution for wireless equipment that meets these requirements.

The R&S CMP180 supports many cellular and non-cellular technologies including Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 and 5G NR FR1 up to 8 GHz with bandwidths of up to 500 MHz. It comes with two analyzers, two generators and two sets of eight RF ports to support 2x2 MIMO testing in a single box. Two R&S CMP180 devices can be combined and scaled up to support four analyzers and generators for efficient testing of 4x4 MIMO access points. Overall, the R&S CMP180 is a cost-effective test solution for advanced wireless technologies that addresses current and future testing needs.

Kevin Narimatsu, associate director of product marketing at Broadcom Inc. said: “We are happy to extend our collaboration with Rohde & Schwarz through which we can bring our Wi-Fi 7 products to the market with the expected high quality and extremely high performance. It enables our customers to unlock the new wireless experience which Wi-Fi 7 is about to bring.”

Christoph Pointner, Senior Vice President Mobile Radio Testers at Rohde & Schwarz, said: “We are grateful for the close collaboration with Broadcom on the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology. Our experience in wireless device testing and this early cooperation with Wi-Fi 7 chipset and device vendors allow us to provide best-in-class test solutions for our customers.”

Rohde & Schwarz will showcase a Wi-Fi 7 test setup with the R&S CMP180 and a Broadcom Wi-Fi 7 device at the Mobile World Congress 2023 at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona in hall 5, booth 5A80.

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