The pursuit of more bandwidth for ever-faster digital wireless communications has pushed the research community to explore how to use much higher frequencies for commercial mobile multiple-access performance. The collaboration combines Bristol's leading-edge wireless research with Keysight's deep experience and capability in millimeter-wave and ultra-broadband simulation, design, test and measurement. The work will contribute to the development of the new capabilities needed for 5G and at the same time enable a richer mutual learning environment for Keysight and the researchers at the University of Bristol.

Among other specific areas of research, the two organizations will combine their capabilities in millimeter-wave radio channel measurements and simulation to understand the nuances of these frequencies for use in communications. The test environment will combine Keysight's millimeter-wave channel sounding hardware and software with the University of Bristol's advanced antenna and ray-tracing technologies.

"I am delighted to formalize our collaboration with Keysight. Their world-leading millimeter-wave design, test and measurement facilities radically enhance our ability to contribute to global 5G developments," said, Professor Andrew Nix, Wireless Communication Systems, Dean of the Engineering Faculty and Head of the Communication Systems and Networks research group, University of Bristol. "Through our Centre for Doctoral Training in Communications we will use the Keysight tools to equip a new generation of engineers with the skills needed to develop and roll-out 5G networks".

"The multi-gigahertz bandwidth capability of the Keysight platform will give us greater insight into the propagation mechanisms at millimeter-wave frequencies and facilitate our research in projects such as mmMagic (EU 5G PPP - www.5g-ppp.eu/mmmagic)," said Professor Mark Beach, Communication Systems and Network Research Group, manager CDT in Communications, University of Bristol. "This equipment will work hand-in-hand with the stacked-bandwidth capability of our Anite Propsim® F8 channel emulators recently procured through an U.K. EPSRC equipment award."

"The University of Bristol represents a center of excellence in wireless research in the U.K. and I am excited to be part of this work," said Roger Nichols, Keysight's 5G program manager. "Dr. Nix and his team have been working closely with us for about a year and we are looking forward to a deeper collaboration."