Telenor IoT has announced a significant upgrade to its advanced test lab in Karlskrona. With new features and equipment, the lab strengthens its position as a central resource for ensuring optimised IoT solutions for customers worldwide.
“Our test lab is at the heart of our endeavour to deliver stable and high-quality IoT solutions,” said Jonas Karlsson, Product Manager, Telenor IoT. “It has grown beyond our initial plans, which clearly demonstrates the global demand for this type of large-scale testing. We see it as an ‘enabler’ that helps both us and our customers succeed.”
The upgrade of the test lab, initially introduced in spring 2024, adds several new and improved features that further enhance the flexibility and control of the test environment:
- Expanded cell capacity: the lab now includes an additional test cell, enabling handover scenarios within Sweden, in addition to the existing capability to test handovers between different countries
- Enhanced radio capabilities: more advanced radio capabilities have been integrated into the Telenor Sweden network for more detailed testing
- GPS simulator: new equipment that can simulate any GPS position in the world. This is crucial for use cases where geographical position is important, allowing for testing in various locations without physical relocation
- Improved power analyser: a larger and more advanced power analyser measures device power consumption. This is vital for power optimisation, finding the best balance between energy saving and responsiveness
“Our environment has become more flexible and controllable, which is crucial for addressing the complex challenges of global IoT deployments,” said Robert Colvin, IoT Technical Expert, Telenor IoT.
Telenor IoT’s test lab is based in Karlskrona, in close collaboration with Telenor Sweden’s and Telenor Linx’s own test labs. This provides immediate access to base stations from all Nordic Telenor operators (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and DNA in Finland) with a simple push of a button.
The lab serves as a key resource for customers to test and verify their IoT solutions and terminals at an early stage, before large-scale rollouts. It also provides a unique opportunity to troubleshoot problems by recreating specific scenarios that are difficult to replicate in the field.
“We view the test lab as an investment in our customers’ success,” said Karlsson. “It’s not about directly generating revenue, but about building partnerships and helping our customers achieve stable and optimal solutions. This benefits not only the customer but also us by increasing the overall value of our offering.”
“Our commitment extends beyond technical support,” added Colvin. “We help customers understand the complexities of telecommunications and choose the right technology for their specific needs, whether they are developing robotic lawnmowers or energy meters.”
The lab has welcomed customers from around the world, including major car manufacturers and companies from as far away as Canada, all of whom sought the lab for its unique testing capabilities, such as eCall testing for the Nordic countries in one single location.
The demands on IoT testing have increased with the complexity of new technologies such as LPWA (LTE-M and NB-IoT) with features for energy saving and improved coverage. Telenor IoT’s lab is prepared for the future and anticipates more testing in a variety of different technologies such as LTE CAT1bis, Next Generation eCall, VoLTE, and 5G SA.
“We are responsive to our customers’ needs and continue to develop the lab to meet future demands,” concluded Karlsson. “Our goal is for the Telenor IoT Test Lab to continue helping our customers create stable, secure, and optimised solutions that, in turn, lead to competitive products and services of high quality.”
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