Anritsu’s MD8430A Long Term Evolution (LTE) network simulator is now being employed by beta customers as they develop their LTE networks. The simulator is compliant with 3GPP’s LTE standards and supports the efforts of companies pursuing LTE standards. LTE networks should begin deploying late next year.

The simulator is designed for handset testing, and is complemented by an LTE User Equipment (UE) simulator for network testing. The test solution can conduct 2×2 Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) and 64QAM modulation to achieve 100 Mbps data rates with full signaling visibility.

LTE testing reportedly will be more challenging for the industry due to end-to-end IP networking, high-speed data throughput and vexing latency issues.

One of the key features of the simulator is the signaling tester. Anritsu originally demonstrated it at the CTIA Wireless event earlier this year in Las Vegas and completed tests of 100 Mbps downlink and 50 Mbps uplink throughout the show.

Anritsu claims that by developing both the network and device simulation at the same time, it can better understand and contribute toward interoperability and ensure good signaling connections between base stations and mobile devices.