Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness

Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have reached another pivotal milestone in 6G research and ecosystem readiness, successfully demonstrating carrier aggregation across FR1 and FR3 frequency ranges. The joint achievement is showcased live at MWC Barcelona 2026.

The CMX500 one box tester is ready for 6G research with the new modular RFU18 board.

At MWC Barcelona, Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies present a live demonstration at the Rohde & Schwarz booth (5A80) that aggregates a mid-band channel around 2.5 GHz (FR1) with an upper mid-band channel around 7 GHz (FR3), using 4x4 MIMO on both bands and higher-order modulation. With this setup, the two companies validate end-to-end device behavior across the aggregated spectrum.

At the heart of the test setup is the CMX500 one-box signaling tester from Rohde & Schwarz, extended with the new RFU18 board to provide coverage up to 18 GHz. RFU18 is a modular hardware upgrade for the CMX500 platform, giving customers a straightforward, cost-effective path to extend existing testers towards 6G. As device under test (DUT), Qualcomm Technologies provided a Mobile Test Platform (MTP) powered by the Qualcomm Modem-RF System, enabling comprehensive validation of RF performance and protocol behavior across the aggregated FR1 and FR3 bands.

The FR3 frequency range (7.125 to 24.25 GHz) has been identified by industry and research as a sweet spot for combining wide-area coverage with high capacity. FR3 in terrestrial networks (TN) and non-terrestrial networks (NTN) is expected to support demanding applications such as eXtended Reality (XR), connected and autonomous vehicles and industrial automation. By validating FR3 as an additional frequency range for future networks, the partners are helping accelerate 6G development and ecosystem readiness.

Goce Talaganov, Vice President Mobile Radio Testers at Rohde & Schwarz, said: Through our ongoing collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, we continue to push the boundaries of wireless communications. As the ecosystem moves toward 6G, we're showing how easy innovation can be with our test equipment. In response to customer demand, we are extending the CMX500 platform to 18 GHz - so that our customers gain headroom for FR3 evolution and higher-frequency emissions and harmonic testing.

Tingfang Ji, Vice President of Engineering and Head of 6G Research at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. said: Our collaboration with Rohde & Schwarz highlights the importance of aggregating existing spectrum bands with new 6G spectrum in FR3 to establish 6G as the high efficiency digital infrastructure for the 2030s. By validating new spectrum layers and advanced RF capabilities using our MTP powered by Qualcomm Modem-RF System, we are accelerating innovation across the ecosystem and helping prepare devices and networks for the next-generation of services.

Future-ready CMX500 platform for 6G:

The CMX500 is a modular, powerful and future-proof one-box signaling tester enabling comprehensive multi-technology testing - from RF to protocol - across all relevant frequency ranges (FR1, FR2 and FR3). All existing CMX500 platforms can be enhanced with the new RFU18 board to extend frequency coverage and capabilities without replacing the entire system, offering users a simple upgrade path.

Engineered for data rates up to 20 Gbps, the CMX500 is one of the most versatile mobile device test platforms, supporting wide dynamic range, 4096QAM and up to 16 device antenna ports for advanced spatial multiplexing. With its multi-band capabilities, it covers LTE and NR in SA/NSA modes, NR-NTN, NB-NTN, Direct-to-Cell (D2C/DTC) testing, and WLAN including Wi Fi 7 and future Wi Fi 8.

Visitors to MWC Barcelona 2026 can experience the joint demo of FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation at the Rohde & Schwarz booth 5A80 in hall 5 from March 2 to 5, 2026, and can learn from the company's experts how the CMX500 platform with RFU18 enables faster 6G device and network innovation.

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