VIAVI Validates Over-The-Air Performance of Nokia Massive MIMO Radio in Upper 6 GHz Band

CHANDLER, Ariz., Feb. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- VIAVI Solutions Inc. (VIAVI) (NASDAQ: VIAV) today announced that its NITRO^® Wireless test portfolio has validated the over-the-air (OTA) performance of the Nokia Massive MIMO radio operating in the upper 6 GHz frequency range, a band that will add crucial capacity to existing cell sites to support 5G-Advanced and 6G networks.

As 5G applications push the currently allocated spectrum to its limits, a key focus for future generations of wireless technology is to enable use of new frequency bands with the requisite capacity, coverage, performance and efficiency. According to Nokia, operators will need to increase their TDD mid-band spectrum holdings during the second half of the decade. The allocation of the upper 6 GHz spectrum for mobile services, which means a possible 200 MHz of mid-band TDD spectrum per operator, was agreed upon at the World Radio Conference 2023.

To test performance of the AirScale platform in the upper 6 GHz band in replicated real-world scenarios, Nokia and VIAVI established a proof of concept at Nokia's Otava lab in Oulu, Finland. The Nokia system under test included a 128TRX Massive MIMO radio based on the Nokia AirScale Habrok platform, configured at the upper part of n104 band (6425–7125 MHz).

The NITRO Wireless test solution provided by VIAVI included:

• TM500 Network Tester, the flagship platform used by network equipment manufacturers worldwide for early functional, system integration, capacity, performance, and regression testing of base stations.
• OneAdvisor 800 spectrum and signal analyzer, to verify signals transmitted in the downlink for conformance testing and analysis of the 5G channels, including RF characterization, beamforming, timing and synchronization over the air and overall radio base station transmission performance.

The following test cases validated upper 6 GHz OTA performance:

• Spectrum analysis and peak throughput validation of one Component Carrier (1CC), and two Component Carriers (2CC) with downlink and uplink Carrier Aggregation (CA)
• Performance and capacity validation with hundreds of emulated User Equipment (UEs) and real-world data traffic applications.

This proof of concept built on previous lab and field trials conducted by Nokia, focusing on OTA performance of the Nokia Massive MIMO radio in the upper 6 GHz band under real-world conditions, and further validating its capability to support development and deployment of 5G-Advanced and 6G networks.

"VIAVI is honored to have been selected for such a groundbreaking milestone in wireless technology," said Manuel Mato, Regional Vice President, Europe Middle East and Africa, VIAVI. "As the industry continues to transition from 4G to 5G, and on to 5G-A and 6G, VIAVI is ready to partner with network equipment manufacturers and operators at every stage."

About VIAVI
VIAVI (NASDAQ: VIAV) is a global provider of network test, monitoring and assurance solutions for telecommunications, cloud, enterprises, first responders, military, aerospace and railway. VIAVI is also a leader in light management technologies for 3D sensing, anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, government and aerospace applications. Learn more about VIAVI at www.viavisolutions.com. Follow us on VIAVI Perspectives, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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SOURCE VIAVI Solutions