AmpliTech and Northeastern Unveil First Open-Source 64T64R Massive MIMO O-RAN with Category B
AmpliTech’s 5G Division and Northeastern University demonstrated the first open-source massive MIMO O-RAN system achieving Category B fronthaul, integrating a commercial-grade 64T64R radio with the OpenAirInterface CU/DU stack. The prototype showcased 2-layer MIMO hybrid beamforming with sustained throughput under mobility conditions.
1. First Open-Source Massive MIMO O-RAN Demonstration
AmpliTech’s 5G Division partnered with Northeastern University’s Institute for Intelligent Networked Systems to integrate a commercial-grade 64T64R massive MIMO Category B radio unit with the OpenAirInterface CU/DU stack, marking the first fully open-source end-to-end O-RAN system assembled from interoperable components in a laboratory environment.
2. Hybrid Beamforming and Mobility Performance
The demonstration showcased hybrid beamforming in a 2-layer MIMO configuration, delivering sustained high throughput under mobility conditions and validating that AmpliTech’s radio unit can operate at full commercial performance within a disaggregated, multi-vendor RAN stack.
3. Impact on Open RAN Adoption
Validating Category B fronthaul in an open-source environment challenges vendor lock-in and demonstrates that high-capacity massive MIMO can be deployed in fully open, standards-compliant RAN networks, potentially accelerating Open RAN adoption and lowering integration costs for network operators.