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n48 (CBRS) O-RU Interoperability by Rice University#

The Rice University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has made significant progress in enabling interoperability between NVIDIA ATB software with the Foxconn Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) O-RU (RPQN-4800E). This collaboration has yielded impressive results in lab testing, demonstrating the potential for advanced 5G and 6G research in the United States.

Key Achievements

  • Successful Testing: The team achieved stable connectivity for over an hour in an indoor lab environment

  • Operational Spectrum: Tests were conducted in a 100 MHz band (3.6-3.7 GHz)

  • Throughput Performance: Achieved 250 Mbps DL and 50 Mbps UL speeds

  • Equipment Used: Quectel RG520N UE module and OnePlus Nord 5G commercial handset

CBRS Spectrum Importance

The CBRS band (3.55-3.7 GHz) plays a crucial role in 5G deployment in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened this spectrum for shared access, implementing a three-tiered system:

  • Incumbent Users: Government bodies

  • Priority Access License (PAL): Acquired through FCC auctions or secondary market sublicensing

  • General Authorized Access (GAA): Available when incumbent and PAL users are inactive

This shared access model, particularly the GAA tier, makes the CBRS band ideal for 5G research and development (R&D). It offers opportunities for experimentation without the high costs associated with PAL access.