August 17, 2014. Anritsu has announced it has entered in to a Manufacturing Test License (MTL) agreement with Broadcom Corp. Anritsu’s modular MT8870A Universal Wireless Test Set enables cellular, wireless connectivity, location-based services (LBS), and other technologies to be tested in a single instrument. Through the MTL agreement, Anritsu is able to provide certified calibration and verification test solutions to Broadcom WLAN and Bluetooth customers.
“Access to the latest Broadcom WLAN and Bluetooth reference designs and software tools allows us to offer certified test solutions that are tailored to the needs of leading Broadcom customers. In the same MT8870A solution, we also offer nonsignaling cellular calibration and verification capabilities, a core competency of Anritsu,” said Pete Alexander, PhD, vice president and general manager of Anritsu.
The Broadcom Manufacturing Test License agreement is a license and validation program, providing test equipment vendors with access to Broadcom WLAN and Bluetooth software tools and Broadcom technical support resources. The program is designed to provide Broadcom OEM customers with validated test systems that reduce time-to-market and improve manufacturing efficiency and product quality. Through the MTL program, OEMs can accelerate market introduction of their Broadcom-based 5G WiFi solutions.
“As a leading provider of 802.11ac (5G WiFi) connectivity, a significant number of mobile devices on the market today incorporate Broadcom WLAN and Bluetooth chipsets. With Anritsu joining the Broadcom MTL program, our customers now have the option of using a single instrument to verify wireless connectivity along with other radios in production,” said Prasan Pai, senior director of product marketing at Broadcom.
Through the MTL program, customers with separate, optimized test stations have the freedom to standardize on a single instrument, such as the MT8870A, across multiple types of wireless test stations to further streamline operations. The MT8870A can also be redeployed from one station type to another, allowing wireless device manufactures to adapt to changes in product mix over time.
Suited for the MTL program, the Anritsu MT8870A Universal Wireless Test Set is a future-proof, modular solution supporting cellular, wireless connectivity, and LBS. With continuous frequency coverage from 10 MHz to 6 GHz and a 160-MHz bandwidth, the MT8870A has the performance to address current test challenges, while also meeting the requirements for next-generation designs. New wireless standards can be added with a software update. Four RF test ports per TRx module allow the MT8870A to support up to 16 RF connections or four 4×4 true MIMO devices.