5G Millimeter Wave Devices: The Impact on EMC Compliance Tests

EMC and safety engineers can mostly avoid the hype of new technologies. Industry standards are rather slow to evolve and the test methods are generally applicable to any device with minor adaptations. For the coming wave of 5G devices, two new technologies will present a challenge to current methods and systems. The first complication is that 5G devices have the option to use two frequency ranges that are widely separated and will demand much more adaptation than an emissions limit line extension. Second, in order to take advantage of both transmission bands, 5G devices will also utilize advanced antenna systems that require several adaptations to current test methods.