Keysight, MediaTek Join Forces to Establish 5G Connectivity Based on 3GPP Release 16 Specifications

Chipset maker uses Keysight’s 5G test platform to deliver modem solutions for smartphones, PCs and mobile hotspots 

SANTA ROSA, Calif., April 1, 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 MediaTek, a leading chipset maker headquartered in Taiwan, has used Keysight’s 5G platform to establish 5G connectivity based on 3GPP release 16 (Rel-16) specifications and verified features of 3GPP technical enhancements and improvements including frequency range 1 and range 2 carrier aggregation, (FR1+FR2 NR-CA), new radio-new radio dual connectivity and others.

Shortly after the global standards organization 3GPP finalized the Rel-16 specifications, the two companies worked together to achieve physical player interoperability development testing (IODT). MediaTek used their latest M80 5G modem and Keysight’s 5G Protocol R&D Toolset to establish the link based on Rel-16, which offers enhancements including increased coverage, capacity, mobility and reliability, as well as lower latency and improved power efficiency to 5G new radio (NR) deployments.

“We are pleased to continue working with MediaTek on advancing the maturity of 3GPP Release 16, which is the latest 5G NR standard,” said Cao Peng, vice president and general manager for Keysight’s wireless test group. “Joining forces with a global fabless semiconductor company with leading 5G technology, enables Keysight to support an expanding ecosystem with 5G test solutions for verifying compliance to specifications mandated by 3GPP and mobile operators.”

MediaTek used Keysight’s integrated 5G test solutions to validate the chipset maker’s latest M80 5G modem, which combines mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G technologies into a single chip to support ultra-fast data speeds.

3GPP Rel-16 brings enhancements to existing Rel-15 features such as dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS), multiple input multiple output (MIMO) and carrier aggregation (CA), improving coverage, capacity, latency, power consumption, mobility and reliability. Rel-16 also leverages unlicensed spectrum, satellite communications, downlink-based positioning and integrated access, as well as backhaul (IAB), helps drive the industry towards realizing the vision of smart city, industrial internet of things (IIoT) and autonomous vehicles.

MediaTek also used Keysight’s 5G Protocol Conformance Toolset to validate the protocol signaling performance of the company’s M80 5G modem. The toolset offers the industry’s most comprehensive support for 5G protocol test cases validated by either GCF or PTCRB, a certification forum led by representatives from leading U.S. mobile operators.

 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. Keysight generated revenues of $4.2B in fiscal year 2020. For more information about Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS), visit us at www.keysight.com 

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