Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS

Test environments for 5G technologies

Test Environments for 5G Technologies

This page provides an overview of available test environments for 5G technologies at Fraunhofer IIS. It supports you in selecting suitable test options and links to further information on the individual testbeds.

The presented environments differ in terms of infrastructure, deployment scenarios, and organizational framework, enabling practical, real-world testing of 5G applications.

Why test environments for 5G technologies?

5G technologies open up new possibilities for communication, positioning, and connected processes. However, their performance depends heavily on the specific environmental conditions, existing infrastructures, and the requirements of the target application.

Test environments make it possible to replicate these boundary conditions under realistic settings. They are used for technical validation, assessing integration effort, and verifying reliability, latency, and positioning accuracy under real-world conditions. This helps identify risks early and supports well-founded decisions for the later deployment of 5G technologies.

Test options for 5G positioning

To test and evaluate 5G positioning, Fraunhofer IIS provides various test environments. They enable investigations under realistic conditions - from measuring and analyzing positioning performance to validating algorithms and AI-assisted approaches in representative scenarios. The test options cover different settings: stationary industrial environments, flexible measurement campaigns at changing locations, and mobile infrastructures for field tests. This allows 5G-based positioning methods to be assessed independently of existing boundary conditions and transferred into concrete applications.

 

© Fraunhofer IIS / Paul Pulkert

Industry 4.0 5G Positioning and Communication Testbed

Stationary test environment for investigating 5G positioning in industrial scenarios, for example in production, logistics, or warehouse/hall environments.

TO THE “INDUSTRY 4.0” TESTBED
 

© Fraunhofer IIS

Nomadic 5G positioning testbed

A flexible test environment for temporary measurement campaigns and positioning tests at changing deployment sites and under varying boundary conditions.

TO THE NOMADIC TESTBED
 

© Fraunhofer IIS

Mobile campus network

Mobile 5G infrastructure for testing positioning methods outside fixed test environments - for example in field trials or multi-site scenarios.

TO THE MOBILE CAMPUS NETWORK

Which test environment fits which use case?

Selecting a suitable test environment depends on the planned deployment scenario, the available infrastructure, and the required level of realism and flexibility. Depending on the project goals, requirements differ for stationary, mobile, or on-site deployable setups.

Industrial and production environments
For investigations under controlled, industry-typical conditions - such as production or logistics settings - the Industry 4.0 5G positioning and communications testbed is suitable.

Testing in your own operational environment
If 5G positioning is to be tested directly within an existing facility or across changing industrial scenarios, the Nomadic 5G positioning testbed provides an appropriate foundation.

Field trials and temporary infrastructures
For multi-site scenarios or applications without a fixed test infrastructure, the Mobile Campus Network offers a flexible solution.

 

© Fraunhofer IIS

Support and consulting

Fraunhofer IIS supports companies and research partners in planning, executing, and evaluating 5G trials in the respective test environments. Depending on the use case, suitable test environments are selected and project-specific requirements are taken into account. Support is provided in a technology-agnostic manner and is aligned with the respective deployment conditions.

You may also be interested in

The test environments presented here are part of Fraunhofer IIS’s long-standing research activities in 5G and positioning. Parts of the infrastructure were established within the “5G Bavaria” project and have been continuously further developed. More in-depth information on the underlying research, the technical infrastructure, and the historical development can be found in the institute’s related project and competency pages. These include, among others, 5G Bavaria, the test center at Fraunhofer IIS, and the research field “Positioning and Networks.”

 

Test center at Fraunhofer IIS in Erlangen

The first step on the path to a prototype is our test center. There, our team of experts simulates new transmission technologies and analyzes whether they meet the required performance criteria.

The next step is emulation: using specialized software and hardware, we reproduce real transmission conditions to investigate radio technologies in real time. This provides fast feedback on the suitability of 5G for your application.

TO THE TEST CENTRE

© Fraunhofer IIS

How it all began

The idea of accelerating the transition from research and standardization into practical application originated from the “5G Bavaria” initiative, which Fraunhofer IIS launched in 2019 and which was funded by the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.

The goal was to provide a central point of contact where planned 5G applications can be simulated and emulated in the lab, and investigated in real cellular network environments. The project results have continued to be developed further even after the project ended in 2023.

 

Positioning and networks

The “Positioning and Networks” research field brings together Fraunhofer IIS’s expertise in wireless communications, positioning, and connected systems. It covers the development, testing, and evaluation of technologies for industrial, mobile, and safety-critical applications.

More Information