Physical layer measurement of cellular standards

Across all cellular standards, manufacturers and service providers need to ensure the performance and compliance of their devices via manufacturing test. These tests are designed to demonstrate the ability of the cellular device to adhere to the requirements of a particular standard by exercising different functionality such as transmitter and receiver performance. With the continuing evolution of cellular standards across the globe, the need to evaluate key performance parameters such as power, frequency, and modulation quality is greater than ever. The different wireless standardization bodies each present the unique specifications for the Physical Layer (PHY) in their standard documents. The implementation and specification limits may differ from standard to standard, but the concepts for, and requirements of, PHY analysis are largely transferable among them. This paper explores the core tests required in a number of current cellular standards and the common principles behind each family of tests.