Quectel Completes 5G RedCap and Non-Terrestrial Network Verification for IoT Modules

Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global provider of IoT wireless modules, recently worked with Keysight Technologies to verify that its 5G modules support two of the newest features in the 3GPP Release 17 specification: reduced capability (RedCap) and non-terrestrial networks (NTN).

Using the Keysight S8711A UXM 5G Test Application, Quectel established end-to-end data call connections to validate protocol, radio frequency, and performance behavior across three IoT modules, accelerating the availability of Rel-17-compliant designs.

RedCap and NTN are two of the most significant additions to the 5G Release 17 standard, enabling a new generation of IoT devices that balance performance, cost, and coverage. By verifying support for both technologies on the same test platform, Quectel positioned its module portfolio to serve markets ranging from industrial sensors to satellite-connected asset tracking.

Quectel needed to confirm that its IoT wireless modules could establish reliable, standards-compliant connections using two brand-new 5G Release 17 features: reduced capability (RedCap) devices and non-terrestrial networks (NTN). Both technologies were largely unproven in commercial modules, and Quectel needed a way to validate real end-to-end call performance before committing to production designs.

RedCap introduces a new class of 5G devices with reduced complexity, lower cost, and lower power consumption, targeting use cases such as industrial sensors and wearables. NTN, based on satellite-to-ground communication, extends connectivity to remote areas without terrestrial coverage, supporting use cases such as industrial IoT, mission-critical communications, and connected vehicles.

To complete these milestones, Quectel used the Keysight S8711A UXM 5G Test Application, part of Keysight’s 5G Device Test Solutions portfolio. Built on the Keysight UXM 5G Wireless Test Platform, the application provides first-to-market support for the latest Rel-17 features, including the ability to emulate satellites in geostationary (GEO), geosynchronous (GSO), and low earth orbits (LEO), along with advanced orbit and fading scenarios.

Using the UXM 5G Test Application’s intuitive interface, Quectel engineers established end-to-end RedCap and NTN data calls, then validated overall module functionality: correct implementation of 3GPP protocols, RF performance through Block Error Rate (BLER) measurements, and data throughput across a range of scenarios.