For the second consecutive year, CableLabs has been selected to host the NTIA 5G Challenge. In partnership with CableLabs, Kyrio will provide host lab facilities to perform wraparound emulsion testing for each contestant’s subsystem and multi-vendor interoperability and performance testing. As the first O-RAN Alliance Open Testing and Integration Center (OTIC) in the Americas, Kyrio is the premier lab for the U.S. government NTIA and Department of Commerce and offers an ideal environment to meet the challenge’s goals.
Challenge testing will include:
- Testing in a stand-alone emulated environment
- Integrated end-to-end testing with other participant subsystems
- Two teams of two pairs for mobility testing of a combined central unit and distributed unit (CU+DU) and a radio unit (RU).
This year’s CU+DU contestants are Capgemini, GXC, Mavenir, and Radisys. RU contestants include Fujitsu, GXC, Lions Technology, NewEdge Signal Solutions, and Quanta Cloud Technology (QCT).
Goals of the 5G Challenge
The primary goal of the 5G Challenge is to promote the adoption of 5G open interfaces, interoperable subsystems, secure networks, and multi-vendor solutions. This year, the challenge will expand on 2022’s open RAN subsystem interoperability focus, including testing for RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) and the 5G core network interfaces. Participants will compete for a $7 million prize pool, awarded at multiple stages of the challenge based on performance evaluations and successful integration of RAN subsystems with other RAN participant subsystems.
Ultimately, the 5G Challenge aims to advance interoperability towards true plug-and-play operation by fostering a large, vibrant, and growing vendor community focused on innovation. This year’s challenge seeks to accelerate open RAN adoption by:
- Utilizing existing standards for new providers
- Encouraging modular product development
- Reducing barriers to entry for new solutions providers
- Leveraging industry trends
- Demonstrating multivendor interoperability
Kyrio’s Cutting Edge Test Facility
Widespread deployment and adoption of Open RAN requires a foundation of rigorous testing to ensure optimal performance of underlying technologies and subsystems. The 5G Challenge promotes this testing by incentivizing vendors to integrate open RAN 5G hardware and software solutions.
Integration testing for the challenge will include multiple gNB configurations containing different Open RAN subsystems. Testing will adhere to O-RAN Alliance and 3GPP specifications, and participants will be eligible to receive badges from Kyrio certifying conformance to OTIC standards.
Kyrio’s neutral, state-of-the-art test facilities and equipment make it an ideal venue for delivering the testing capabilities and meeting the standards required by the 5G Challenge. The lab offers:
- Multiple semi-anechoic chambers
- Full-sized anechoic chamber
- Current analyzers and sniffers
- Multiple traffic generators
- Live lab test facilities
These test capabilities support testing, validation, and certification of participant subsystems in a neutral setting. Kyrio’s staff also bring deep expertise in wireless networks and 5G testing, positioning them uniquely to assist contestant teams and provide technical analysis of the tests to NTIA-ITS.
Kyrio is honored to partner with CableLabs as the host lab for the 5G Challenge this year. We look forward to participating in this event as we work together to accelerate the development of an open 5G ecosystem.
