PIM is one source of wireless network interference that can result in significantly degraded voice quality, dropped calls and reduced data throughput. The effects of PIM can be drastic. Just a one decibel drop in uplink sensitivity due to PIM can shrink the wireless coverage area by 11 percent.
To make it easier to find PIM caused by signal interaction between multiple frequency bands, CommScope added a cross-band PIM testing capability to its revolutionary Optical PIM Tester, which it believes is an industry first via Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI). The Optical PIM Tester injects test signals into the base station’s downlink—now even between frequency bands—to identify PIM products in its uplink, which engineers can then remediate.
CommScope also significantly reduced the PIM tester’s size and weight, making it easier to transport. The enhanced features and functionality of the Optical PIM Tester ready it for inclusion in wireless operators’ standard network acceptance and preventative maintenance processes.
“CommScope has benefitted from and responded to excellent feedback from customers, who suggested ways that the Optical PIM Tester could be even more useful to them,” said Paul Bell, senior vice president, CommScope. “We took these suggestions back to the lab and gave the PIM tester a makeover, making it even better equipped to pro-actively find PIM products instead of waiting for them to appear.”
