Keysight First to Submit Protocol Test Cases for Verifying 5G New Radio Devices that Support Release 16 Features to 3GPP

Accelerates verification of designs that support 3GPP Rel-16 use cases

SANTA ROSA, Calif. August 31, 2021 

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a leading technology company that delivers advanced design and validation solutions to help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, announced that the company’s S8704A Protocol Conformance Toolset was used to submit the first protocol test case for verifying 5G new radio (NR) devices that support release 16 (Rel-16) features to 3GPP. 

As a result, device vendors can accelerate verification of designs that support 3GPP Rel-16 features. Many mobile operators are expected to implement 3GPP Rel-16 capabilities to improve coverage, capacity, latency, security, power consumption, mobility and reliability. Release 16 includes new features that support transportation, private 5G, industrial internet of things (IoT), among other use cases.

“Early availability of 3GPP 5G NR test cases for Rel-16 are needed to speed the realization of smart city, smart factory and autonomous vehicles,” said Muthu Kumaran, general manager of Keysight's device validation solutions business. “Keysight continues to demonstrate technical leadership by being first to submit test cases to 3GPP RAN5, a workgroup within 3GPP that is focused on the specification of conformance testing at the radio interface for the user equipment.”

The test case, submitted for verification to 3GPP RAN 5 on August 6, 2021, allows chipset and device vendors to verify functionality related to self-organizing networks and the minimization of drive testing. Keysight’s Protocol Conformance Toolset enables users to verify protocol signaling performance of a design and confirm compliance to 3GPP 5G specifications. This toolset is part of the company’s suite of 5G Network Emulation Solutions, which leverage the company’s UXM 5G Wireless Test Platform to address the device development workflow from early design, to acceptance and manufacturing.

In February 2021, Keysight’s 5G network emulation solutions were also used to establish the industry's first 5G NR data connection based on 3GPP Rel-16. As the latest 5G NR standard, 3GPP Rel-16 offers advanced capabilities such as support for ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC), unlicensed spectrum, satellite communications, DL-based positioning, power efficiency and integrated access and backhaul (IAB).

About Keysight Technologies 

Keysight delivers advanced design and validation solutions that help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Keysight's dedication to speed and precision extends to software-driven insights and analytics that bring tomorrow's technology products to market faster across the development lifecycle, in design simulation, prototype validation, automated software testing, manufacturing analysis, and network performance optimization and visibility in enterprise, service provider and cloud environments. Our customers span the worldwide communications and industrial ecosystems, aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, semiconductor and general electronics markets. Keysight generated revenues of $4.2B in fiscal year 2020. For more information about Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS), visit us at www.keysight.com.

# # #

Additional information about Keysight Technologies is available in the newsroom at https://www.keysight.com/go/news and on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

Keysight Contact:

Geri Lynne LaCombe, Americas/Europe
+1 303 662–4748
[email protected]

Fusako Dohi, Asia
+81 42 660–2162
[email protected]