In order to facilitate Massive MIMO over-the-air (OTA) performance testing of Open Radio Units (O-RUs) at the VIAVI Automated Lab-as-a-Service for Open RAN (VALOR), Viavi Solutions announced that it has chosen ETS-Lindgren to supply an RF-shielded anechoic chamber.
This testing is perfectly matched to the requirements of radio manufacturers who intend to submit a bid for the O-RU Commercialization and Innovation-focused Second Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO 2) of the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (PWSCIF) of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
Electrical wiring between test instruments and the device under test (DUT) is used in traditional lab testing of wireless network equipment to evaluate conformity and operation. OTA testing is an improvement where the DUT is connected to test instruments wirelessly to further replicate real-world circumstances, all while being housed in a hermetically sealed chamber with free space vacuum to isolate the environment from outside interference.
With the chamber, VALOR can provide beamforming OTA validation and Massive MIMO, including system-level performance testing for up to 16 parallel spatial layers.
VALOR offers radio makers an on-demand test suite that includes performance, security, interoperability, and O-RU compliance testing. Numerous reliable partners have contributed a complete set of golden O-RUs, O-DUs, and O-CUs that are compliant with O-RAN to the lab.
VALOR offers completely automated, open, and impartial testing and integration for Open RAN. It was made possible by a $21.7 million award from the inaugural PWSCIF Notice of Funding Opportunity. For newcomers, businesses, and academic institutions, VALOR offers a route to accreditation in the United States. Subject to availability, academic institutions and NTIA co-grantees can use VALOR at no cost.
In terms of developing important intellectual property related to wireless OTA measuring and evaluating the wireless OTA performance of wireless subscriber devices, ETS-Lindgren is an instrumental player.
The business created the first OTA measuring strategy for the industry and the first CTIA Authorized Test Lab for OTA performance testing of mobile stations worldwide. VIAVI’s Open RAN Test Suite is enhanced by ETS-Lindgren’s resources and experience, particularly when it comes to OTA testing of O-RUs and end-to-end testing of the whole Open RAN base station.
“In order to truly accelerate O-RU commercialization and innovation, VALOR is advancing testing and certification beyond legacy methodologies,” said Dr. Sameh Yamany, Chief Technology Officer, VIAVI. “OTA testing is the latest move forward, building on the groundbreaking foundation of a fully automated, cooperative, open and impartial Lab-as-a-Service offering dedicated to Open RAN interoperability, performance and security. We are pleased to be working with ETS-Lindgren as a fellow industry leader.”
“We are proud to support the VIAVI team with this state-of-the-art facility enabling OTA testing of base stations. The recent evolution in base stations and their testing has been tremendous. We look forward to seeing the further innovation enabled by this OTA testing facility,” said Andy Warner, President, ETS-Lindgren.
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