Keysight and Ericsson have completed pre-6G interoperability validation between an Ericsson prototype 6G base station (gNB) and early device implementations, using Keysight’s WaveJudge Wireless Analyzer.
The joint effort focuses on troubleshooting and validating emerging 6G concepts as standards discussions begin in 3GPP. Pre-standard systems now explore centimeter-wave (cmWave) spectrum, channel bandwidths up to 400 MHz, advanced massive MIMO configurations, and protocol optimizations aimed at higher spectral efficiency and lower latency. Interoperability testing at this stage remains complex because vendors implement draft specifications differently, which complicates root-cause analysis for signaling errors or performance gaps.
Keysight’s WaveJudge platform acts as an independent protocol and signaling analyzer, decoding traffic from both the gNB and UE to identify discrepancies between expected and observed behavior. The system provides multi-layer visibility and KPI analytics, allowing engineers to isolate issues, verify advanced features, and quantify performance gains from early 6G innovations. Ericsson said the collaboration improved issue resolution efficiency and provided deeper insight into emerging radio concepts, while Keysight emphasized the importance of early validation alongside standards development.
- Validated interoperability between Ericsson pre-6G gNB and prototype devices
- Conducted full-stack signaling analysis across real infrastructure
- Evaluated cmWave spectrum and channel bandwidths up to 400 MHz
- Assessed massive MIMO performance and protocol efficiency enhancements
- Demonstrated third-party decoding and KPI analysis using WaveJudge
David Bjore, Vice President and Head of RAN Software & Compute Platforms, Business Area Networks at Ericsson, said: “Achieving interoperability is a key milestone for our 6G program. Our collaboration with Keysight has helped us resolve issues more efficiently and gain deeper insight into the performance of emerging 6G concepts.”
🌐 Analysis: Pre-standard interoperability work between infrastructure and test vendors signals that 6G research has moved beyond conceptual modeling into integrated system validation. Ericsson has recently advanced multiple pre-6G trials, including centimeter-wave and AI-native radio experiments, while test vendors such as Keysight and Rohde & Schwarz continue to position protocol analytics and emulation platforms as foundational tools for early ecosystem alignment.
