5G Analyzer Basics and Key Specifications

This application note covers the basics of 5G Analyzers, with a specific mention of the MS2850A model from Anritsu Corporation.

A 5G Analyzer is used to analyze 5G compliant signals generated by User Equipment (UE) and network equipment. It helps in testing and measuring the performance of these devices against 5G standards.

About 5G Analyzers

The analyzer used to perform test and measurement of 5G compliant devices such as UE and Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment is known as a 5G analyzer. These analyzers also often incorporate 5G signal generation functionalities required to test 5G UE.

This signal generation capability is needed to complete the initial handshake of messages (both user plane and control plane) between the 5G UE and RAN equipment. Once the handshake is completed, the UE is kept in transmit mode, allowing for all the UE measurements to be performed as per the test cases defined by 5GPP specifications.

Figure 1: Simple test setup for testing a 5G Device Under Test (DUT) using a 5G analyzer.

The setup is used to perform RF and PHY (i.e., Baseband) layer related measurements.

5G Analyzer from Anritsu (MS2850A)

The Anritsu MS2850A is a notable 5G Analyzer. The following table outlines some of its key specifications:

Other 5G Analyzer Manufacturers or Vendors

Here’s a list of some other manufacturers and vendors of 5G Analyzers: