Keysight Technologies, Inc. announced that Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. has selected Keysight's open RAN test solutions to establish multiple test beds in New Jersey, U.S., to develop and validate chipset designs based on open radio access network (RAN) interfaces.

Keysight and Qualcomm Technologies have been working together since 2018 to accelerate the adoption of open, disaggregated and interoperable small cell architectures using open RAN standards and virtualized radio access networks (vRAN). The test environment in New Jersey enables Qualcomm Technologies to validate the performance of the Qualcomm 5G RAN platform for small cells across radio frequency (RF) and protocol measurement domains.

"We're pleased to work with Qualcomm Technologies to efficiently address 5G market opportunities connected to the development of flexible software-defined network architectures," said Giampaolo Tardioli, vice president and general manager for Keysight's network access group. "Keysight's integrated test solutions support evolving open RAN standards to address a diverse set of use cases for consumers and vertical industries."

Interoperability between O-RAN compliant radio units (O-RUs) and distributed units (O-DUs), across the protocol stack, from the physical layer to the application layer, supports mobile operators in their delivery of a diverse range of 5G services. Keysight offers an integrated solution portfolio that provides unique end-to-end performance visibility, from the edge of the radio access network (RAN) to the 5G core (5GC).

Qualcomm Technologies selected Keysight's Open RAN Studio to validate compliance to specifications set by the O-RAN Alliance, as well as Keysight's 5G Multi-Band Vector Transceiver to validate 3GPP RF compliance of a radio unit (RU) reference design using the Qualcomm 5G RAN platform.

"Our relationship with Keysight enables a growing small cell ecosystem to leverage open RAN standards," said Puneet Sethi, senior director of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "We're happy to support small cell vendors speed up validation of new designs using Keysight's integrated 5G test solutions and small cell reference designs using the Qualcomm 5G RAN platform."

Leading developers of open RAN radio units benefit from early access of evolving test cases developed by industry organizations such as the O-RAN Alliance and the Small Cell Forum. As an editor in the O-RAN Alliance, Keysight enabled the industry consortium to publish its first edition the O-RAN fronthaul conformance test specifications in August 2020, thereby enabling the wider industry to verify compliance of O-RUs to O-RAN specifications using approved O-RAN test cases.