Promises of Near-Field Software and Hardware Transformations for 5G OTA

Meeting the promises of increased capacity in 5G mobile communication requires rolling out massive MIMO base stations along with network and mobile terminals implementing both sub 6 GHz and milli meter-wave technologies. The supported capabilities of dynamic beam forming and the absence of RF test ports on devices is creating a shift of performance evaluation towards system-level characterization. This shift is putting over-the-air measurement at a central position on the road to 5G deployment. This article discusses the promises of OTA testing solutions employing software and hardware near-field transformations to take on the challenges of OTA assessment for 5G user equipment and base stations at minimum cost.