Rohde & Schwarz and Pegatron have presented a joint FR3 technology demonstration focused on phased array testing for 6G.
The setup at the 6G Summit in Taipei, Taiwan, combined Pegatron’s dual-polarized FR3 phased array with the FSWX signal and spectrum analyzer and the R&S SMW200A vector signal generator. The measurement focused on MIMO transmission at 13 GHz and 15 GHz, frequency ranges relevant to 6G research for RAN infrastructure, as well as for satellite applications.
“As 6G enters the critical phases of standardisation and technology R&D, the FR3 frequency band has become a pivotal battleground for future wireless innovation,” said William Wu, Director of the Communication Technology Center at Pegatron.
The demonstration reached a projected data transmission rate of 1.7 Gbps using 100 MHz bandwidth, 4096 QAM, and dual-stream transmission. According to Rohde & Schwarz, this corresponds to about twice the throughput of a comparable single-stream configuration.
“The result gives an example of how FR3 can support high bandwidth, high-order modulation, and multi-stream wireless links,” the test and measurement company said in a press release.
Pegatron also tested its FR3 phased array antenna in a standard office environment. Under the 5G NR protocol, the system reached a peak expected data rate of 1.4 Gbps across an indoor distance of 40 meters. The setup used 100 MHz bandwidth, 1024 QAM, and dual stream transmission. This test adds a more practical scenario to the exhibition result and helps compare laboratory style verification with indoor deployment conditions.
“FR3 is expected to provide the highly demanded additional spectrum for 6G. Wider bandwidth, higher-order modulation, and massive MIMO demand evolved test and measurement equipment,” said Alexander Pabst, Vice President Market Segment Wireless Communications at Rohde & Schwarz.
For the verification work, Pegatron leveraged the multi-channel analysis capabilities of the FSWX signal and spectrum analyzer together with the R&S SMW200A vector signal generator. Earlier measurements relied on a conventional spectrum analyzer, where horizontal and vertical signal controls had to be adjusted separately.
The newer setup, based on the game-changing architecture of the FSWX, made it possible to analyze multiple channels in parallel and to obtain results that are closer to actual system behavior.
“Moving forward, we are expanding our FR3 portfolio by actively developing 7 GHz / 8 GHz array antenna modules for Massive MIMO,” Wu concluded.
