"Enhanced data usage also triggers transmission pipeline-related technology changes, such as conversion from copper to optical technologies," said Frost & Sullivan Program Manager Olga Yashkova. "Such transition creates new opportunities for testing one gigabit (GB) per second, 10GB, 40GB, and 100GB pipelines."New technologies has thrown up numerous interoperability issues for SPs.
As the number of devices supplied by different vendors' increases, protocol management will become more complicated.In the absence of a separate signaling or session framework, interoperability testing (IOT) has to be performed at every existing node when a new element or software load is placed in service. These activities are time and resource intensive, with costs increasing in proportion to the number of tests that have to be performed.
To avoid these hurdles, SPs prefer to work with fewer vendors.Frost & Sullivan says that one of the possible solutions to service providers testing concerns is multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) technology, which is a significant component of air interface test equipment. As the industry shifts from 2X2 MIMO to 4X4 MIMO or 8X8 MIMO, testing will become increasingly tough.Even though MIMO has several unique testing challenges due to its complexity, it presents numerous opportunities for wireless test equipment vendors.
"It will be a while before the market experiences optimal performance from MIMO implementation," notes Yashkova. "Nevertheless, the demand for higher data and bandwidth will force the industry to find more spectrums, and that, in turn, will prompt the higher adoption of MIMO."
