Discontinuous Reception (DRX) is a power-saving mechanism in LTE networks designed to extend the battery life of user equipment (UE), such as smartphones. This FAQ will begin by explaining the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) role in LTE from the DRX perspective. Then, it will illustrate the complete DRX process with short/long DRX cycles and…
Telecommunications
5G development in 2025: halftime or still first quarter?
EE World spoke with Spirent’s Stephen Douglas about the company’s annual 5G report. 5G development continues, with AI showing its influence. Around 2014 or 2015, I first started hearing about 5G development, mainly in terms of 5G New Radio (5G NR). With the release of the first 5G standards in December 2018 and the start…
How are NRZ and PAM different in an eye diagram?
Eye diagrams are important tools in telecommunications for analyzing the performance of digital signals, such as noise, distortion, and intersymbol interference. This FAQ compares the non-return-to-zero (NRZ) and pulse modulation (PAM) formats, which are common ways of reading an eye diagram. NRZ represents binary data using two voltage levels, 0 and 1. This results in […]
What are the fiber options for 5G fronthaul?
Fiber is required to deliver low latency, which is crucial for a 5G fronthaul between the base station and the core network. Several fiber options can increase installation density and/or flexibility in this fronthaul. Common choices include bend-insensitive fiber (BIF), OM5 fiber, ultra-low-loss (ULL) fiber, and reduced-diameter fiber. Each offers different performance tradeoffs for specific…
GPS/GNSS antennas achieve 200 cm positioning accuracy
Taoglas announces a new family of active, multi-band GNSS antennas. Levity Series’ AHP24510 (L1/L2/L-Band) and AHP54510 (L1/L5/L-Band) directional patch antennas are optimized for GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou satellite constellations. Triangulation across several satellites provides faster and more accurate acquisition and lock onto signals, particularly in built-up areas. The L-Band capability means Levity Series antennas also work with…
What are the three levels of TEMPEST testing?
Telecommunications electronics materials protected from emanating spurious transmissions (TEMPEST) testing, also called emission security (EMSEC) by the National Security Agency (NSA), is an NSA specification and is defined in the NATO SDIP-27 standard. TEMPEST is designed to deny unauthorized access to information derived from intercepting and analyzing unintended electrical signals, sounds, and vibrations emanating from […]
How to test IoT device wireless capabilities
Testing the wireless capabilities of IoT devices before production helps ensure reliable connectivity, optimal performance, and seamless integration across a wide range of applications. This article reviews key IoT wireless parameters and highlights Wi-Fi, 5G, and Bluetooth LE testing priorities. It also discusses how wireless testing supports optimal LPWAN and ZigBee IoT device functionality. Analyzing […]
GNSS module operates at reduced size for robotic integration
Septentrio announces the extension of its established mosaicTM family of compact GNSS receiver modules with the mosaic-G5 receiver range. These new modules will broaden the field of applications powered by Septentrio technology since they offer a size reduction of 60% and a power consumption reduction of 40% compared to the mosaic-X5 receiver. This substantial reduction…
How Amazon Sidewalk differs from Wi-Fi, cellular, and LoRaWAN networks
Amazon Sidewalk uses 900 MHz to send low-bitrate messages to IoT devices. It has a more extended range than Wi-Fi and requires no base stations. Amazon Sidewalk is a free community network that provides secure, reliable connectivity for smart IoT devices. This low-bandwidth, low-power network leverages sub-GHz frequencies to transmit small data packets over distances…
What is the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) in RF systems?
Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) is a fundamental parameter that measures the efficiency of radio frequency (RF) power transmission from a source through a transmission line to a load. A simple way to measure VSWR is to find the highest to lowest voltage ratio in a standing wave created on a transmission line due to […]
