Understanding 5G, developing a network application, and proving a new idea all benefit from the same starting point: a working system you can inspect, modify, and reproduce.
Built on MX-PDK LAB, this solution gives engineers, developers, researchers, and technical teams a compact platform for hands-on learning, end-to-end 5G R&D, near-RT RIC/xApp development, and small PoCs. A pre-installed environment brings the RAN, 5G Core, soft UEs, SMO, near-RT RIC, and development tools together so you can begin with the network and focus on what you want to understand or build.
Explore network operations, investigate a configuration or feature, develop an xApp, or validate a small application PoC. Begin with the emulated terrestrial network and add the optional OTA Pack when the experiment needs a real air interface and commercial devices.
Value for your team
- Reach a useful experiment sooner: use a pre-installed, licensed, and validated foundation to focus effort on your first learning, R&D, or PoC objective.
- Learn through direct access: follow network procedures, inspect component state, and connect observed behavior to configuration and code.
- Develop xApps in context: evaluate an application with the near-RT RIC, supported E2 measurements and controls, and an end-to-end 5G network.
- Build evidence before expanding: use repeatable experiments and small PoCs to identify requirements for the next investment.
- Retain what you build: carry supported blueprints, xApps, APIs, datasets, and operational workflows into larger MX-PDK configurations.
What this solution brings together
- An integrated 5G baseline. One pre-installed O-Cloud node runs the MX-PDK environment with supported OpenAirInterface, OCUDU, and Open5GS configurations. The reference emulated setup supports up to one gNB and four soft UEs.
- Near-RT RIC and xApp development. The included near-RT RIC, xApp SDK, reusable catalog, and supported E2 service models provide a foundation for monitoring and control experiments. Available measurements and actions depend on the selected RAN implementation and service models.
- Tools for investigation and repeatability. MX-UI, the CLI, dashboards, configurations, logs, packet traces, and dataset extraction help explain results and reproduce a network state. Blueprints, guided labs, documentation, and the Container Development Kit (CDK) support practical exploration and software development.
- An optional path to live RF. The OTA Pack adds a USRP B210 and a Quectel 5G device. Use it to investigate over-the-air behavior and validate a compatible device or application with the same operational tools.
More use cases you can unlock
Extend the initial experiment using the same software foundation. Applications, analytical code, and specialized equipment are selected or developed for the project.
| Related use case | Research or development value | Starting scope |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-vendor network comparison | Compare supported implementations, configuration choices, and observed protocol behavior. | Included software and supported blueprints, within the single-node limit of up to one emulated gNB and four soft UEs. Run comparisons sequentially where needed. |
| Telecom software integration and packaging | Prepare a software extension and investigate how it operates within a cloud-native 5G environment. | Included CDK, CLI, and blueprints; the application and integration work are part of the project. |
| Network datasets and repeatable regression checks | Capture a baseline and compare measurements after a software, configuration, or xApp change. | Included observation and extraction tools; define the traffic profiles, comparison scripts, and acceptance criteria for your experiment. |
| IoT and edge-application feasibility | Validate an application’s data path and traffic behavior before moving to a larger testbed. | Start in emulation; add the optional OTA Pack and any required gateway, sensor, application host, or compatible device for live RF. |
| Energy-aware infrastructure experiments | Investigate the relationship between workload, resource use, and measured node power. | Optional energy visibility/PDU control, scoped to the installed hardware and measurement objective. |
From exploration to a working PoC
| Step | Practical activity | Reusable result |
|---|---|---|
| Define the question | Select a learning objective, research hypothesis, xApp function, or application requirement. | A focused experiment and measurable success criteria. |
| Establish a baseline | Deploy a supported blueprint, attach soft UEs, and observe the end-to-end data path. | Configuration, traffic profile, and baseline measurements. |
| Investigate or develop | Change supported parameters, integrate an application, or develop an xApp using the SDK. | Working code or configuration with a documented network effect. |
| Compare and troubleshoot | Repeat the experiment and correlate measurements with logs, traces, and component state. | A reproducible result, diagnosis, and identified limitations. |
| Validate over the air | When needed, add the OTA Pack and repeat relevant scenarios with a compatible physical device. | Live-radio evidence and requirements for the next configuration. |
Scope the platform to your first milestone
Size the experiment around the single-node compute capacity, selected software, traffic load, and concurrent workloads. The emulated limit of one gNB and four soft UEs describes the reference configuration; it does not determine application throughput or over-the-air device capacity.
MX-PDK LAB starts from €19,900, including one year of software updates and technical support. The OTA Pack, tailored technical training, development support, and other extensions can be scoped to the project. See the product page for the current offer.
FAQs
1️⃣ Can we develop near-RT RIC applications with LAB?
Yes. LAB includes a near-RT RIC, xApp SDK, catalog, and supported E2 service models for developing and evaluating xApps. You can inspect measurements and test available control functions against the selected network stack. Non-RT RIC and rApp capabilities are included from MX-PDK O-RAN upward.2️⃣ Can we use it for 5G R&D and small PoCs?
Yes. It supports end-to-end experimentation, configuration and protocol investigation, xApp development, application integration, and small prototypes within the single-node scope. A validated baseline and reusable artifacts help the work progress into a larger testbed when required.3️⃣ Do we need radio hardware to begin?
No. The base package provides an emulated network with soft UEs. Add the optional OTA Pack for live RF, with a radio profile matched to the experiment, compatible devices, and available spectrum.4️⃣ When should we choose O-RAN instead?
Choose O-RAN when the objective requires industrial O-RAN 7.2 fronthaul, synchronized O-RU integration, non-RT RIC/rApps, supported NTN scenarios, or its larger testbed configuration. Near-RT RIC/xApp work and small 5G PoCs can start with LAB, including live SDR experiments with the OTA Pack.4️⃣ Can the work carry forward into the rest of the family?
The MX-PDK family shares its software foundation and reusable artifact approach. Supported blueprints, xApps, APIs, and workflows carry forward, with radio settings, resources, and dependencies adapted to the target configuration.Ready to explore, develop, or prove your 5G idea?
Share your first objective, the 5G or xApp behavior you want to investigate, application and device requirements, and whether you need live radio. BubbleRAN can recommend a LAB configuration and the support needed to reach that milestone.
Find the right LAB configuration · Explore MX-PDK LAB · Explore guided labs and examples.