Keysight Gains Approval for 5G Protocol Conformance Test Cases Based On 3GPP Rel-16

November 02, 2021

News

Keysight Technologies, Inc. is first to gain approval from the Global Certification Forum (GCF) for 5G new radio (NR) protocol conformance test cases based on 3GPP Release 16 (Rel-16) specifications. 

The industry milestone, confirmed at the conformance agreement group (CAG) meeting held in October, enables device vendors to accelerate verification of designs that support 3GPP Rel-16 features. Implementation of 3GPP Rel-16 improves 5G network coverage, capacity, security, and latency, as well as 5G device power consumption, mobility, and reliability. Keysight supports a number of 5G RF, RRM, and protocol conformance test cases mandated by GCF.

The GCF approval was recived using Keysight's S8704A Protocol Conformance Toolset. In early 2021, Keysight joined modem makers to establish the 5G data calls based on 3GPP Rel-16 Specifications, using 5G Protocol R&D Toolset, also part of Keysight's suite of 5G network emulation solutions.

The initial GCF-approved test cases enable users to validate self-organizing network (SON) features. Increasing complexity of networks, coupled with the need to reduce the cost of operating a mobile network across the lifecycle, is leading service providers to implement SON functionalities including self-configuring, self-optimizing, and self-healing. These test cases also address the minimization of drive testing features that enable active devices in the network to retrieve customer experience measurements, which mobile operators use to optimize network performance.

At the CAG meeting, it was also confirmed that Keysight is the first test equipment vendor to gain GCF validation of 5G NR Release 15 protocol conformance test cases for standalone (SA) mode in frequency range 2 (FR2). Deployment of 5G NR in SA mode and in FR2 spectrum is expected to support advanced 5G applications such as fixed wireless access, which uses customer premises equipment (CPE) to deliver wired-broadband data speeds to homes and businesses.

For more information, visit Keysight.