Anritsu has expanded its CPRI test portfolio with the introduction of a Baseband Unit (BBU) Emulation capability to its BTS Master MT8220T that saves significant time and cost when verifying LTE cell site operation. Addressing a market need for a comprehensive and accurate field test solution, the BTS Master MT8220T with BBU Emulation provides wireless technicians, engineers and contractors with all the necessary tools to validate that a Remote Radio Head (RRH) is installed properly and functional, before the Base Band Unit (BBU) is commissioned. This unique combination of measurement tools expedites 4G network rollouts and reduces OpEx (Operational Expense) costs associated with new sites.
With the BBU Emulation option, the BTS Master MT8220T is a complete solution for building out, testing and troubleshooting new and installed cell sites. It can be used by wireless professionals to install and verify optical fiber, SFP, RRH, and power before the BBU is officially commissioned and the site goes live. The device with the BBU Emulation option installed can test the SFP connections to validate wavelength and line rate. BBU Emulation also allows the SFPs in the analyzer and RRH to communicate to verify that the optical fiber and SFP in the RRH are operational and have a good CPRI link. Other necessary analysis, such as transmit tests, VSWR and Return Loss measurements, Pass/Fail limit values, spectrum measurements and Spectrogram measurement can be conducted with the solution.
BBU Emulation allows engineers and technicians to troubleshoot problems independent from the core network. The RRH can be separated from the other network elements to determine if it is at fault or problems are originating from a different source. By providing the ability to verify that all new cell sites are installed correctly and can be turned on easily when the BBU is commissioned, the BBU Emulation capability allows crews to verify and fix any issues while they still have the construction equipment on site, saving time and money.
This new BBU Emulation option requires the BTS Master MT8220T to be equipped with the CPRI LTE RF Measurements option, which allows field engineers and technicians to conduct accurate RF measurements on RRHs while remaining at ground level. The BTS Master has been specifically developed for 4G networks as well as installed 2G, 3G and WiMAX networks. It provides 20 MHz bandwidth modulation quality for LTE eNodeB testing and has a high-contrast, touch screen display and backlit key panel for ease of use in both bright sunlight and dim conditions.
