VIAVI Introduces Industry's First Channel Emulator for 6G and Wi-Fi 7/8

New Vertex 6.0 recreates real-world wireless conditions in the lab for complex cellular, Wi-Fi, military and aerospace RF technologies

VIAVI Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAV) has announced the latest, enhanced version of the Vertex channel emulation platform. With 400 MHz instantaneous bandwidth and support for carrier frequencies up to 23.6 GHz, Vertex 6.0 is the industry's first channel emulator designed for next generation 6G and Wi‑Fi 7/8 testing, natively supporting newly defined 6G waveform requirements and surpassing Wi‑Fi 7/8 bandwidth requirements.

Vertex 6.0

Vertex 6.0 extends VIAVI's wireless portfolio by bringing real-world RF propagation into the lab, complementing the industry-leading TM500 network emulation platform and TeraVM application and security validation solutions. It is the first Vertex upgrade following VIAVI's acquisition of Spirent Communications plc (LSE: SPT)'s high-speed Ethernet, network security and channel emulation testing business.

Available in field-replaceable RF modules that integrate seamlessly into an existing 6U Vertex chassis, Vertex 6.0 builds on the 5G FR1/FR2 capabilities of the previous generation and now includes emulation for complex cellular, Wi-Fi, military and aerospace RF technologies. Combined with the VIAVI FR3 MIMO converter and raytracing with Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), the platform acts as a digital twin for RF propagation for use cases including FR3, Wi-Fi 7, AI-RAN and ISAC.

"As wireless technologies become more complex, late-stage issues can present significant risks. Engineers need test environments that can accurately replicate real-world conditions and validate performance from the earliest stages of development," said Ian Langley, Senior Vice President, Wireless, Security and Applications Business Unit, VIAVI. "Vertex has been the platform of choice for the world's leading chipset, device and network equipment manufacturers for over a decade, and Vertex 6.0 brings the next leap in capabilities that address the requirements of complex cellular, Wi-Fi and other specialized topologies."

Each 6U Vertex chassis supports 36 RF ports, 256 digital links and up to 1.6 GHz of bandwidth. For cellular technologies, the platform supports FR3 bands with up to 1 GHz of bandwidth to meet the increased requirements of 6G networks. This includes multiuser (MU) MIMO with phase alignment and support for both TDD and FDD modes.

For Wi-Fi 7/8, it includes native support for 320 MHz and 4096 QAM, supporting 2x2 up to 8x8 configurations. The channel emulator also includes a wide range of modes for land-to-land, land-to-air and air-to-air transmissions, including for anechoic and reverberation OTA chambers, as well as for NTN (LEO, MEO and GEO), mesh, drone and ISAC networks.