Over-the-Air (OTA) Testing for Connected Devices

Element can perform one complete set of OTA testing that covers requirements from 3GPP, CTIA, PTCRB, GCF and major U.S. 5G carriers under one roof. We provide comprehensive OTA performance testing for 5G, LTE, IoT devices, and antenna systems. Note: OTA testing is mandatory for 5G devices, particularly those supporting mmWave (FR2) and advanced antenna systems. Our testing evaluates radiated performance metrics including:

• Transmit Metrics - Total Radiated Power (TRP) and Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP).
• Receive Metrics - Total Isotropic Sensitivity (TIS), Effective Isotropic Sensitivity (EIS), SISO Average Radiated Sensitivity (ARS), and Total Radiated Multi-Antenna Sensitivity (TRMS).
• Interference and MIMO Performance - Intermediate Channel Sensitivity (ICS) and MIMO Average Radiated SIR Sensitivity (MARSS).
• Carrier Acceptance Testing - Verizon 5G FR1 OTA (including Verizon Fast Track eligibility) and T-Mobile 5G OTA.
• Cellular and Wi-Fi Coexistence and Desensitization Testing
• NTN (Satellite) Testing using SKYLO platforms
• Customizable Antenna Pattern/Coexistence/Desensitization/RF Performance Measurements
• Passive Antenna Testing - Total Antenna Efficiency, Peak and Average Gain, 3D Radiation Pattern, 2D Azimuth and Elevation Patterns, Directivity, Polarization (horizontal, vertical, linear, or circular) Performance, and Conducted impedance measurements for S11, Return Loss, and VSWR.  

We test a full spectrum of wireless-enabled products across multiple industries: consumer electronics (smartphones, laptops, tablets), networking equipment (routers, access points), IoT devices and smart home products, industrial communication equipment, military/defense wireless products and electronic components/systems, telematics systems (satellite-enabled devices), NTN-capable chipsets/modules/devices, antenna systems, and infotainment units (automotive and aerospace). For all these products, we support a broad range of wireless technologies, including:

• 5G: FR1 (sub-6 GHz), FR2 (mmWave), NR SA and NSA, RedCap, EN-DC, and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN)
• LTE: Cat-M/Cat-M1 (LTE-M), NB-IoT, Cat 1/1+, and Carrier Aggregation (up to 5CA)
• Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands
• Short-Range Wireless: Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Ultra-Wideband (UWB)
• Legacy Cellular: 4G LTE, 3G, and 2G
• Positioning Technologies: A-GNSS (A-GPS, A-GLONASS, A-Galileo) and dual-frequency GNSS (L1/L5)
• Advanced Radio Technologies: MIMO, SISO

Your products face diverse operating conditions, and require testing that simulates real-world environments. We create customized testing programs aligned with your specific requirements, and use phantoms (physical models of different parts of the human body) to replicate human interaction with devices, and accurately assess any resulting antenna performance degradation. Our approach identifies performance issues early in development, optimizes antenna design and signal processing algorithms before market release, and saves youvaluable time and resources. For our process, we use:

• Early issue identification during product development.
• R&D pre-testing and custom troubleshooting support.
• Customized testing programs for specific product requirements.
• Design and evaluation for antenna designers and system integrators.
• Simulated environments replicating real-world conditions.
• Phantoms designed to hold various OTA device forms.
• OTA testing using head, hand, and forearm dummies for real-world usage simulation.
• Complete 2D and 3D passive and active antenna measurements to accurately characterize radiation patterns.
• 3D active tests with base station simulators for cell phones.

Your wireless device testing program demands precision equipment and technical expertise. Element's San Jose OTA Center of Excellence operates multiple CTIA-accredited, state-of-the-art OTA test chambers that enable rapid test scheduling. Our facilities support the latest 5G technologies and leverage best-in-class ETS-Lindgren anechoic chamber architecture to deliver accurate, repeatable results. Multiple Multi-Probe Anechoic Chambers (MPACs) are each equipped with 23 dual-polarized measurement probes that recreate controlled multipath radio environments for realistic OTA evaluation of 5G, MIMO, throughput performance, beamforming, and spatial performance. Our specialized antenna pattern measurement labs offer:

• Active testing from 600 MHz to 7.125 GHz.
• Passive testing from 400 MHz to 10 GHz.
• Supplemental testing for 28 GHz and 39 GHz mmWave bands.
• Fully anechoic rooms (FARs) with minimized reflections.
• Integrated laser alignment systems for precise DUT positioning.
• High-speed switch controllers for accelerated testing.
• Expanded test zones for larger wireless devices.
• Industry-leading test equipment - Anritsu MT8000A, Keysight UXM, Rohde & Schwarz CMX500, etc.

As a CTIA-Authorized Certification Test Lab (CATL) and PTCRB Primary Test Lab for over 20 years, Element has over 65 years of combined OTA engineering experience across our team. We have the OTA expertise to understand PTCRB requirements for streamlined, efficient testing, and that enables seamless coordination with our other compliance services for complete product certification (FCC, ISED, CE/RED, carrier-specific, etc.). Our OTA testing services are available at:

• US – Columbia, MD (within walking distance of the FCC OET lab, about 30 minutes from Washington, D.C.).
• US – San Jose, CA (our OTA Center of Excellence in Silicon Valley).