Measurement Journal Issue 6

Monitoring RF networks T Today’s wireless service providers (WSPs) face a critical challenge — optimizing a network’s signal transmission quality during long periods of time and in remote locations where RF base stations are beyond the reach of a control center. The challenge is greater when the network is under stress, such as during high trafﬁc ﬂow. Trafﬁc overﬂow is prone to occur during mass events such as the 2008 Olympics where WSPs provided coverage to the large number of visitors arriving in the region all at once. They also had to continue to support coverage to the large population of China. One way for WSPs to ensure the necessary level of optimization is through the adoption of installation and maintenance (I&M) processes. Successfully implementing these processes requires the use of suitable I&M tools, such as the handheld signal analyzer and cable and antenna tester (CAT). Both instruments are today essential for remotely ensuring optimized installation and operation of wireless networks in the ﬁeld. The great inﬂux of people into China to attend the 2008 Beijing Olympics tested the current mobile telephony infrastructure and made appropriate network testing — especially in the ﬁeld — absolutely critical. Such testing is necessary to ensure continuity and stability of service at a high level of signal quality and bandwidth. Because the Olympics were watched online by a very large worldwide audience, the risk of network downtime had to be avoided at all costs. Whether at the WSP’s central location or in the most remote ﬁeld locations, the network transmission quality and sustainability had to be kept under tight control around the clock. I&M routines play a critical role in ensuring service continuity and stability. Figures 1 and 2 highlight, step-by-step, the procedures to be implemented in the physical design, creation and installation of an RF wireless network’s hardware infrastructure (e.g., antennae, base stations and cabling) in the outdoor environment. Continuity testing ensures that end-toend connectivity is established and the logical setup is correct, while long-term monitoring tests ensure network stability and verify its ability to deliver long-term, error-free operation. When performed without the proper equipment, these test routines can prove overly complex and cumbersome. Agilent Measurement Journal 42

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Measurement Journal Issue 6

Measurement Journal Issue 6 Using a Few Words to Convey a Deeply-Held Spirit Charting a Unique Path to Technology Innovation Contents Announcing First Commercial GC/MS Metabolites Library Assessing Nonlinear Behavior Testing Combines Form and Function Testing Multiplay Networks Higher Sensitivity LC/MS Easing Military Radio Test Stepping Up Calibration Accuracy Increasing Spectrum Analyzer Bandwidth 3GPP Tool Supports TS 36 Standards The Olympic Story Spotlights Agilent's Continuing Contribution to Technology Innovation Ensuring a Level Playing Field in Competitive Sports GPS: Coming of Age Resolving Design Issues in HSPA Mobile Devices Achieving Accurate Results with Oscilloscope-Based Jitter-Analysis Software RF Handheld Testers Guarantee Traffic Stability Under Olympic-Sized Stress Conditions Utilizing LAN-Based Instrumentation to Measure Total Harmonic Distortion in Remote Facilities IMT-Advanced: 4G Wireless Takes Shape in an Olympic Year EPO Doping: A Speed Engine, Turbo-Charged by Chemistry

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