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Viavi Solutions Inc. (VIAVI) has announced the availability of base station and end-to-end testing supporting Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) and High Altitude Platforms (HAPs). The growth of wireless technologies has led to an augmentation of traditional terrestrial communication networks, with satellite communications playing a crucial role in providing comprehensive coverage.

The VIAVI TM500 and TeraVM test platforms are designed to validate the conformance, performance, and reliability of gNodeBs and entire networks under the unique service link conditions of NTN and HAPs networks. 3GPP Release 17 specifications have introduced support and guidelines for NTNs, with future releases expected to further refine the standards. These specifications aim to improve the performance of NTNs, facilitate their convergence with terrestrial telecoms networks, and enable support across existing 5G mobile handsets and chipsets.

A VIAVI analysis estimates that the growth in satellite communications will result in approximately 30,000 new satellites orbiting the Earth, significantly expanding the potential of NTNs to provide universal coverage. However, the introduction of satellite communication in 5G brings additional complexity for testing. NTNs need to be reliable enough to cope with the distance, speed, and mobility of satellites, HAPs, and User Equipment (UE), while still delivering optimal performance.

To address this challenge, the TM500 can emulate a high volume of devices, new mobility patterns, signal propagation delays, and other NTN-specific conditions. Meanwhile, TeraVM emulates the core network. This testing scenario is ideal for early functional tests, such as 3GPP protocol testing, and can be applied to both regenerative and transparent architectures. Additional test scenarios focus on testing and optimizing the network end-to-end, using a real core to validate the performance and reliability of the entire network.

Viavi acknowledges the new opportunities and partnerships that NTN and HAPs offer for mobile and satellite operators, as well as the potential to provide connectivity to underserved and over-populated areas and support mission-critical applications. However, Viavi emphasizes the importance of conducting reliability, stability, and performance testing to ensure the success of these networks.

About Viavi Solutions Inc.
Viavi Solutions Inc. is a global provider of network test, monitoring, and assurance solutions for communication service providers, hyperscalers, equipment manufacturers, enterprises, government, and avionics. Viavi is also a leader in light management technologies for various applications. For more information, visit www.viavisolutions.com.

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