The present invention relates to testing a mobile device in a lab by providing test signals to the mobile device via a cabled connection which bypasses the actual physical antennas in the mobile device. The test signals emulate a wireless channel and incorporate representative and/or actual measured characteristics of the performance of the antennas in the mobile device. As such, the performance mobile device can be accurately measured without requiring placement in an anechoic chamber, which enables efficient testing over a large set of configurations and underlying conditions.