What is OTA Testing?

Over-the-Air (OTA) Testing is a method used to predict the performance and reliability of a wireless device in the real world. The device under test is placed in a free space environment inside a test chamber, where real-life situations are simulated. The device is subjected to different test conditions to check how the device responds in various situations. OTA testing is a way to ensure that the devices designed or selected will perform the way it is intended to, by measuring its entire signal path and antenna performance.

These tests are important as the performance of a wireless device may degrade in the real world due to various reasons, for example, a tablet with poorly placed antennas may suffer low LTE uplink and downlink speeds when a consumer holds the device the wrong way.

OTA testing is very important for any phone, tablet or networked machine device, as any accessory or product may degrade their OTA performance. These tests are also done to certify certain products according to the set standards. Most IoT and M2M device manufacturers also require OTA certified products, as they reduce compliance complexity, remediate potentially costly design errors and meet demanding global go-to-market schedules.