Bulk file transfers, streaming videos, database searches and Voice over Wi-Fi are placing increasing demands on a network’s ability to provide consistent bandwidth. This is where technologies like 802.11ac are becoming increasingly important due to the large bandwidth and advanced MIMO techniques they cater to.
From a testing view point, 802.11ac poses a lot of challenges. As the 802.11ac devices make use of OFDM modulation, use wider channel bandwidth than 802.11n, higher order modulation with eight streams and enhanced multi-user MIMO techniques, designers and manufacturers need to understand the complex requirements not only from product creation context but also from the way the testing has to be carried out.
The testers will need wide IF bandwidths in vector signal analyzers and generators, and improved transmitter modulation accuracy for testing multi-user MIMO requirements. Single box testers combining a VSA and VSG of today will not be able to test 802.11ac due to the increased bandwidth requirements.
More number of VSA and VSGs will be required to test the eight streams as a part of the multi-user MIMO technique. The challenge to measure accurately the transmitter modulation accuracy will mean that the VSA should have a very good EVM specification.
Q. How is airborne, shipborne and tactical radio-communication different from the hardware point of view?
A. The radio keeps the same technology for airborne, ship borne and tactical use, however, the form factor changes as per the requirement of the platform. For example, manpack use or portability can be the requirement for tactical radios, fitting them in a given fixed space is a requirement for ship borne or airborne radios.
Secure radio communications is one of the key technology areas for Rohde & Schwarz. There is a paradigm shift from hardware centric radios to software centric radios. Rohde & Schwarz is actively and consistently driving the technology innovations to achieve truly multiband, mulrole and multimode radios for airborne, ship borne and tactical use.
Q. Do advancements in a vertical complement or help your other vertical in anyway?
A. Yes, definitely, advancements in a vertical complement do help us in other verticals.
For the telecom domain, R&S has been very active in digital or vector modulation, which evolved from the wireless telecom standards of GSM, CDMA and WCDMA. Now, we see increasing deployment of digital modulation in A&D, mainly in space and satellite communications. Many of our products now are finding common usage in A&D and Telecom verticals. Also, the digital domain knowledge of our engineers facilitates us to promote and support our products in an effective way.
Q. Could you speak to us about your marketing strategies in India?
A. The key priority of Rohde & Schwarz India is to strengthen the business through the market awareness and thereby effectively address the challenges of rapidly-changing innovative technical advancements in competitive context.
Our advertising and promotions (print/road shows/seminars/conferences) spends have also been stepped up to ensure that the innovations and technical specifications are fully supported. In order to give a comprehensive information about our new developments, we always make sure our presence in most of the industry talked exhibitions/tech-fests.
Q. Could you give us an idea about your hiring policies in India?
A. We are definitely increasing our technical manpower in all areas be it sales, application or technical services. R&S’s current product portfolio addresses a very broad spectrum of wireless applications. Besides traditional high end/high cost products, R&S also now offers a large range of value products to cater to the growing demand of wide based general purpose T&M market.
We are currently hiring sales engineers in tier 2 & 3 cities as it is not viable to address this market by our own sales and applications force based in four metros. Also we expect our R&D activities in telecom domain to exponentially increase in not too a distant future which will result in further hiring of software engineers.
