Keysight provides Intel with Open RAN Studio solution to help it develop and validate massive multiple-input multiple-output (mMIMO) beamforming designs for open radio access networks (RAN) to drive mobile network operations Businesses are accelerating the adoption of O-RAN architecture.
The O-RAN network architecture uses open interfaces and virtualization technology to separate software and hardware. Therefore, mobile operators can mix and match network elements supplied by different vendors, greatly improving flexibility and significantly reducing costs. mMIMO technology uses a large number of antennas to send and receive data, which can expand network coverage and capacity. Operators implementing this technology will be able to further improve network performance. Although O-RAN and mMIMO have many important advantages, they also face many challenges in consistency and interoperability.
The Intel solution implements a weight-based dynamic beamforming approach on a single Intel Agilex™7 system-on-chip field-programmable gate array (SoC FPGA). This approach is compliant with O-RAN standards and provides efficient and high-quality signals through antenna arrays.
Intel used the Keysight Open RAN Studio solution to validate its mMIMO digital beamforming solution, ensuring it is interoperable within the O-RAN ecosystem and can be tightly deployed into O-RAN networks. With the help of Open RAN Studio, Intel has further improved the performance of its complex mMIMO beamforming technology, allowing it to accommodate a large number of connections simultaneously to meet the high data rate requirements of 5G services.
Open RAN Studio is designed for testing LTE and 5G O-RUs. It contains a set of powerful O-RAN tools that can build, playback, capture and measure O-RAN traffic on Ethernet fronthaul interfaces. Open RAN Studio is part of the Keysight Open RAN Architect (KORA) testing solution. This series can provide comprehensive testing solutions, covering functions, performance, energy efficiency, security and other tests, as well as artificial intelligence and machine learning training and optimization.
Mike Fitton, vice president and general manager of Intel's Networking Group, said: "Keysight has provided strong technical support and advanced equipment to help our engineering team develop and validate complex multifunctional O-RAN wireless systems. Thanks to Intel "Working closely with Keysight, new and existing wireless system vendors can focus on core innovation and deliver vendor-agnostic O-RAN equipment in the dynamically changing 5G RAN landscape."
Cao Peng, vice president and general manager of Keysight's Wireless Test Division, said: "Keysight continues to launch advanced test solutions to provide strong support for the O-RAN ecosystem. The O-RAN mMIMO technology used in Intel solutions has successfully Passing the verification means that the O-RAN network has taken a key step towards deployment and application. This landmark achievement verifies the feasibility of massive MIMO beamforming technology and helps promote the industry's accelerated adoption of the O-RAN network architecture. "