Reliable Connectivity Through Comprehensive Wireless Field Testing

Consumer CompactElectrical and ElectronicsJanuary 19, 2026

Connectivity is increasingly vital in our everyday lives, underpinning everything from communication to commerce. While laboratory evaluations of connected devices provide essential insights into safety and performance, they cannot fully replicate how technology behaves in real-world conditions. This raises a critical question: what structured, standards-aligned steps can manufacturers and suppliers take to ensure wireless technologies operate efficiently and reliably where consumers depend on them most?

Connectivity has become integral to how we live, work and interact. From cars to workplaces to leisure activities, connected devices underpin our daily routines. They enable efficiency and convenience, allowing us to work productively, stay in constant contact with friends and family, navigate cities safely, stream entertainment while commuting and so much more.

As our reliance on connectivity grows, so does the expectation that devices will operate seamlessly in real-world environments. Any disruption can have significant consequences, making consistent and dependable performance essential.

Innovation and complexity

Rapid technological innovation has created increasingly complex ecosystems. The proliferation of devices and evolving wireless technologies – such as 5G, the internet of things (IoT), Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 – means networks must perform to defined parameters to avoid interference or degradation.

At the same time, governments worldwide have strengthened regulatory frameworks to ensure safety, interoperability and resilience. Compliance requirements are designed to protect consumers and maintain trust in connected systems through frameworks including the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Part 15, the EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED) and ETSI EN 301 489 (EMC), plus radio frequency (RF) exposure requirements such as specific absorption rate (SAR) and IEC/IEEE 62704.

Failure to operate safely and effectively in the real world could result in:

Device malfunctions caused by interference or poor signal propagation
Navigation errors that compromise safety
Vulnerabilities that expose users to cyberattacks or data breaches
Service disruptions that erode consumer confidence
Regulatory non-compliance leading to delays, fines and market withdrawal

Wireless field testing: a practical solution

Wireless field testing bridges the gap between design and user experience. It replicates real-world operability, verifying coverage, speed and reliability in diverse conditions. Standardized field testing protocols provide structure and consistency, ensuring replicable results, helping operators meet regulatory requirements and customer expectations while optimizing performance through reference methods such as 3GPP drive-test key performance indicators (KPIs), ITU-T quality metrics and GSMA field interoperability testing (FIT) guidelines.

Key components include:

Test plan development – defining objectives, parameters and KPIs
Location selection – representative of real usage scenarios (urban, suburban or rural)
Equipment and tools – ensuring appropriate analyzers, drive-test systems and mobile devices equipped with specialized software are available
Data collection and analysis – evaluating KPIs such as signal quality, throughput and handover success

Challenges to wireless field testing might include adverse weather conditions, interference and logistical hurdles. These may impact the reliability of results and should be addressed early in the planning stage through adaptive strategies such as contingency routing, backup equipment and spectrum monitoring scans.

Wireless field testing is essential to delivering the performance and reliability consumers expect. It provides invaluable insights into factors such as antenna placement, power levels and frequency allocations. Ongoing monitoring ensures networks remain robust and responsive as wireless technologies advance and demands evolve.

SGS solutions

At SGS, we offer a comprehensive suite of services to support wireless device performance and certification. Our structured approach ensures devices are tested under real-world conditions, delivering reliable results that help manufacturers and operators meet both regulatory requirements and consumer expectations.

With specialized teams across the globe, we conduct handset and network verification using standard test plans across diverse environments. Testing covers voice, data and feature performance under many coverage conditions, ensuring devices operate seamlessly wherever consumers rely on them.

Through FIT evaluations, we validate the performance of handsets and other wireless devices against reference platforms in real-world conditions. Tests include call processing, emergency services (e911), data performance and feature validation across multiple technologies based on GSMA and operator-specific criteria. Tests are executed in both static and mobile environments following industry-accepted and certified methodologies.

In a digital world, our reliance on connectivity demands rigorous real-world testing of wireless technologies to ensure safety, performance and compliance. With end-to-end support, our solutions accelerate approval and ensure seamless performance, helping manufacturers and operators deliver reliable, compliant and future-ready products with confidence.

SGS DIGITAL TRUST: Across technologies, services and organizations is a global framework that enables customers to build, demonstrate and sustain trust across the digital ecosystem. It helps organizations strengthen resilience, transparency and confidence in connected products, services and infrastructures through a unified SGS service structure, providing a consistent, coordinated approach to navigating today’s complex digital trust landscape, built on proven expertise.