Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers and governments accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, has introduced new 5G channel emulation capabilities that enable the deployment of seamless connectivity and end-user experiences.

Keysight’s PROPSIM FS16 channel emulation solution is the latest in a long line of innovative technology introduced by Keysight to accelerate 5G development and commercialization. PROPSIM FS16 enables users to verify the performance of 5G new radio (NR) devices with support for ultra-wide bandwidths in mmWave frequency spectrum, beamforming technology and multiple-antenna configurations.

The new 5G channel emulation solution extends Keysight’s family of 5G channel emulators, widely used for benchmarking and validating devices and base stations. PROPSIM FS16 helps chipset and device makers cost-effectively and confidently validate the real-world performance of 5G designs using MIMO* and massive MIMO antenna technology for high data rate applications. The solution is housed in a compact and modular benchtop 5G NR radio frequency (RF) channel emulator with scalable fading capacity and intuitive software tools.

“Keysight’s new RF channel emulation solution enables a connected ecosystem to cost-effectively accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative 5G devices used to deliver superior end-user experiences,” said Janne Kolu, director of Keysight’s channel emulation solutions. “Our comprehensive 5G channel emulation portfolio uniquely offers consistent fading capabilities across the device workflow to support cost-effective debugging, optimization and performance validation.”

PROPSIM FS16 complements Keysight’s industry-first PROPSIM F64 channel emulation solution, which leading 5G wireless equipment makers use to address ultra-high fading capacity needs. PROPSIM FS16 supports the 5G NR frequency bands and bandwidths as specified by 3GPP. The solution seamlessly integrates with Keysight’s 5G network emulation solutions to address performance requirements that extend beyond conformance testing mandated by 3GPP, the global mobile standards organization.

Keysight’s PROPSIM FS16 offers the following key features and benefits:

  • A scalable number of fading channels (from 2 to 1024) to create an affordable path towards testing a wide range of MIMO designs.
  • Support for realistic bi-directional fading to verify the up- and downlink of a device.
  • A unidirectional fading capability that focuses the fading capacity on the downlink for efficient testing of the device receiver. This leads to cost-effective, yet comprehensive support of MIMO over-the-air (OTA) test requirements specified by 3GPP.

*MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) – an antenna technology for wireless communications in which multiple antennas are used at both the source (transmitter) and the destination (receiver).