PTCRB test plans: RF, OTA, IMS, data throughput

Author Hugues Orgitello Last updated 11 July 2026 ~6 min read

PTCRB · Pillar

PTCRB test requirements define all tests required for North American cellular certification. They are anchored in 3GPP conformance specifications and the CTIA Certification OTA test plan. This page maps the requirement documents and the test categories by cellular generation.

Requirement architecture

PTCRB does not publish a single monolithic test plan. The requirements are spread across public documents (downloadable from ptcrb.com/get-certified) and the PTCRB test case database:

NAPRD03: the technical requirements document; it selects which test cases are mandatory
PPMD (Program Management Document): the certification process and IMEI control
PVG.11: the frequency bands in scope for testing

The test cases themselves come from external specifications:

Category	Requirements source
RF Conformance	3GPP TS 36.521-1 (LTE), TS 38.521 (5G NR)
Protocol conformance	3GPP TS 36.523-1 (LTE), TS 38.523-1 (5G NR)
RRM	3GPP TS 36.521-3 (LTE), TS 38.533 (5G NR)
OTA radiated performance	CTIA Certification Test Plan for Wireless Device Over-the-Air Performance
IMS / VoLTE	3GPP IMS test cases where voice is supported
SIM/USIM interface	3GPP and ETSI SIM test specifications
Location (A-GNSS)	3GPP test cases per supported features

NAPRD03 and the test case database are updated several times a year to integrate 3GPP release evolutions and new operator requirements.

RF Conformance, the 3GPP basis

RF Conformance tests verify the module respects 3GPP technical requirements on target bands. For 4G LTE, 3GPP TS 36.521 defines the complete suite:

Transmitter tests (TS 36.521-1, section 6)

Test	Description	Typical limit
Maximum Output Power	Max transmission power per band/channel	23 dBm ± 2.7 dB
Frequency Error	Frequency stability error	± 0.1 ppm
Modulation Quality (EVM)	Error Vector Magnitude	≤ 17.5% for QPSK
ACLR	Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio	≥ 30 dB (E-UTRA ACLR)
Spectrum Emission Mask	Out-of-channel emission mask	Per-band definitions
Spurious Emissions	Stray emissions	-30 dBm typical
Transmit OFF Power	Residual power off-transmission	≤ -50 dBm

Receiver tests (TS 36.521-1, section 7)

Test	Description	Typical limit
Reference Sensitivity	Reference sensitivity per band	-94 to -100 dBm depending on band
Maximum Input Level	Maximum input level	-25 dBm
Adjacent Channel Selectivity	Adjacent channel selectivity	33 dB
In-Band Blocking	In-band blocking	-56 dBm
Out-of-Band Blocking	Out-of-band blocking	Variable per band
Spurious Response	Spurious response	-44 dBm
Intermodulation	3rd-order intermodulation	-46 dBm

For 5G NR, 3GPP TS 38.521 applies, with additional tests for 5G novelties (beam management, NSA/SA, mmWave).

RRM tests (Radio Resource Management)

The module must also pass RRM tests (TS 36.521-3 for LTE) which verify behaviour in radio resource management:

Mobility and handovers
Cell selection / reselection
Carrier aggregation
Discontinuous reception (DRX)
Power control

These tests are long (typically 2-3 days in the lab) because they require simulating complex network scenarios.

OTA: Over-The-Air

OTA tests measure the radio performance of the complete product in its enclosure, antennas included. Methodologies come from the CTIA Certification Test Plan for Wireless Device Over-the-Air Performance, adopted by PTCRB.

TRP: Total Radiated Power

Measures total radiated power by the product in all directions:

Measurement in an anechoic chamber per the CTIA OTA test plan (full sphere)
3D sampling of radiation pattern
Integration to obtain TRP in dBm

TRP pass criteria are set per band and form factor by the carriers; indicative orders of magnitude:

Smartphone: TRP ≥ +14 dBm typical in 4G LTE B2/B4
IoT module: TRP ≥ +12 dBm (more permissive)
Wearable: TRP ≥ +8 dBm (very small form factor)

TIS: Total Isotropic Sensitivity

Measures total isotropic sensitivity of the receiver:

Measurement of reception performance across the sphere
Integration to obtain TIS in dBm

Typical TIS limits:

Smartphone: TIS ≤ -94 dBm in 4G LTE
IoT module: TIS ≤ -90 dBm

EIS: Effective Isotropic Sensitivity (5G mmWave)

For 5G mmWave, EIS partly replaces TIS as patch antennas are not omnidirectional. The measurement accounts for beam management.

IMS / VoLTE / VoNR

IMS tests validate voice over IP on cellular network:

VoLTE (Voice over LTE): voice over 4G network
VoNR (Voice over NR): voice over 5G SA network
Wi-Fi Calling, voice over Wi-Fi with cellular fallback

Included tests:

Call setup and release
Call hold during handovers
Audio quality (objective and subjective)
Emergency handling (911)
SRVCC (Single Radio Voice Call Continuity)
E911, emergency call location

IMS testing adds significant lab time; the budget depends on codecs and features tested.

Carrier-level testing beyond PTCRB

Interoperability and field testing

Interoperability tests with real operator networks are not part of the PTCRB campaign itself: they belong to the carrier acceptance programs layered on top (AT&T TRENDI network test, Verizon Open Development test campaign, T-Mobile Validation Lab):

Tests in the operator network (field testing)
Coexistence tests with other bands
Technology transition tests (4G → 5G fallback)

Data throughput

Throughput performance tests in typical scenarios:

Peak downlink throughput
Peak uplink throughput
Throughput in degraded conditions (cell edge)
End-to-end latency

These evaluations matter for high-throughput devices (smartphones, hotspots) and are driven by carrier requirements rather than the PTCRB baseline; they are lightened for low-throughput IoT modules (Cat-M, NB-IoT).

Battery and power consumption

Battery life as such is not a PTCRB certification category: battery performance programs are separate (CTIA and carrier requirements). In practice, cellular IoT projects still validate consumption alongside the PTCRB campaign:

Idle autonomy
Active communication autonomy (voice, data)
Typical consumption per 3GPP mode (PSM, eDRX for IoT)

Particularly important for long-autonomy IoT devices (battery sensors, solar equipment) where extended PSM/eDRX characterisation is necessary.

Service-specific tests

By service profile, additional tests:

eCall (automotive)

For modules intended for automotive eCall (an EU 112 requirement, tested mainly under European schemes):

eCall in-band modem tests
Dedicated eCall SIM management
Automatic activation in case of accident
Pre-listening and voice conversation

Assisted GPS / Network-Based Location

For location services:

A-GPS / A-GNSS assisted
Network-based location (CID, RSSI)
LPP (LTE Positioning Protocol)
Indoor performance

M2M / IoT specific tests

For specific M2M modules:

AT command compliance
Configuration over-the-air
Automatic provisioning

Test categories by generation

Quick reference table:

Technology	Main 2026 test categories
2G GSM	Legacy, test cases retired from current requirements
3G UMTS	Legacy, limited
4G LTE Cat-1+	RF + protocol conformance, OTA, IMS if voice, per-profile extras
4G Cat-M	RF + protocol conformance Cat-M, reduced OTA, PSM/eDRX behaviour
4G NB-IoT	RF + protocol conformance NB-IoT, PSM/eDRX behaviour
5G NSA	RF + protocol conformance 5G NSA, OTA, IMS if VoNR
5G SA	RF + protocol conformance 5G SA, OTA, IMS VoNR
5G mmWave	RF conformance FR2, mmWave OTA (EIS methods)

Test platforms

PTCRB labs use test platforms validated through the PVG test case validation process:

Anritsu MD8475A (legacy), ME7834NR (5G NR)
Rohde & Schwarz CMW500 (4G/5G NSA), CMX500 (5G SA + NR)
Keysight UXM 5G (E7515B)
CTIA-accredited anechoic chambers for OTA tests

Platform choice depends on operator and technology. The tested module must be able to directly interact with these platforms via its AT command set.

In summary

PTCRB requirements combine 3GPP RF, protocol and RRM conformance with CTIA OTA radiated performance, plus IMS, SIM/USIM and location test cases per supported features. For a complete cellular product:

NAPRD03 and the test case database define what applies to your device
Lab timing: typically several weeks to a few months depending on complexity
Budget: driven by bands and technologies; get lab quotes early

For practical implementation, see PTCRB procedure and Required tests.