Systems and methods for testing radio access network components using field radio frequency input

A network simulator device, comprising:

• one or more processors configured to:
• receive, from an emulator device, a first set of real-time radio frequency (RF) data,
• wherein the network simulator device is associated with at least one of a radio access network (RAN) device or a user equipment (UE),
• wherein the first set of real-time RF data is associated with emulated real-time channel conditions corresponding to a simulated location of the at least one of the RAN device or the UE at a first period of time, and
• wherein the at least one of the RAN device or the UE is a physical device that is located at, or that is in communication with, the network simulator device;
• determine a first set of performance data associated with a performance of the at least one of the RAN device or the UE based on the first set of real-time RF data;
• receive, from the emulator device, a second set of real-time RF data,
• wherein the second set of real-time RF data is associated with emulated real-time channel conditions corresponding to the simulated location of the at least one of the RAN device or the UE at a second period of time;
• determine a second set of performance data associated with a performance of the at least one of the RAN device or the UE based on the second set of real-time RF data;
• and
• determine a change in performance of the at least one of the RAN device or the UE based on the first set of performance data and the second set of performance data.

A network simulation system, comprising:

• a network emulator device;
• at least one of a radio access network (RAN) device or a user equipment (UE), the at least one of the RAN device or the UE being a physical device;
• and
• a network simulator device in communication with the network emulator device and operatively coupled to the at least one of the RAN device or the UE, wherein the network simulator device is configured to:
• receive, from the network emulator device, real-time radio frequency (RF) data, wherein the real-time RF data is associated with emulated real-time channel conditions corresponding to a simulated location of the at least one of the RAN device or the UE,
• receive, from the at least one of the RAN device or the UE, measurement data associated with signal measurements associated with the at least one of the RAN device or the UE based on the real-time RF data;
• determine a performance of the at least one of the RAN device or the UE based on the measurement data;
• and
• determine an updated performance of the at least one of the RAN device or the UE based on updated measurement data associated with updated signal measurements.