An O-RAN research programme needs working radios, accessible control interfaces, and results that another team member can reproduce. Integrating those pieces can consume the time intended for research.
BubbleRAN brings them together in a pre-integrated end-to-end 5G O-RAN testbed, built on MX-PDK O-RAN. Researchers, telecom developers, and integration teams can start from a validated configuration, introduce their own applications, and measure the effect across the network.
Innovate with industrial O-RAN 7.2 fronthaul, non-RT RIC/rApp capabilities, or a larger integrated multi-vendor testbed. MX-PDK O-RAN provides a single live industrial radio cell, both RICs, commercial devices, and a two-node environment for development and validation.
Value for your team
| Your benefit | How the solution helps |
|---|---|
| Start useful research sooner | Begin with a validated end-to-end baseline and spend more effort on the research question. |
| Compare algorithms fairly | Reuse configurations, workloads, and measurement workflows across experiments. |
| Reduce integration uncertainty | Inspect behavior across the RAN, Core, radio, RIC, and device boundaries. |
| Retain freedom to develop | Extend supported stacks, SDKs, and interfaces with your own applications and policies. |
| Build lasting research capability | Carry blueprints, applications, datasets, and operational knowledge into larger MX-PDK configurations. |
What this solution brings together
- A live O-RAN foundation. The reference package combines two O-Cloud nodes, one indoor industrial O-RU, PTP-synchronized O-RAN 7.2 fronthaul, a 5G Core, and five commercial 5G UE modules. Emulated configurations support up to two gNBs and eight soft UEs, complementing the single live cell for development and repeatable testing.
- Access to programmable network behavior. Near-RT and non-RT RICs, xApp and rApp SDKs, and E2, A1, O1, and R1 workflows support measurement, policy, control, and lifecycle experimentation. E2 measurements and controls depend on the functions exposed by the selected RAN implementation and service models.
- A common integration workflow. Reusable blueprints bring supported combinations of OpenAirInterface, OCUDU, Open5GS, radios, and devices into the same deployment and observation environment. The Container Development Kit (CDK) complements the xApp and rApp SDKs for packaging supported software extensions.
- Evidence behind each result. MX-UI, CLI, dashboards, logs, traces, and dataset export help connect application decisions to network behavior. The included Observability Blueprint adds AI-assisted investigation of cluster, log, and metric data.
More use cases you can unlock
Use the same foundation to extend the research programme. The scope below distinguishes platform capabilities from additional equipment or project development.
| Related use case | What it helps you establish | Starting scope |
|---|---|---|
| TN/NTN experimentation | Compare supported terrestrial and non-terrestrial scenarios and study their effect on connectivity and network policies. | TN/NTN software experimentation is supported. Start with supported emulation profiles; live NTN radio and integration requirements are scoped separately. |
| Multi-UE QoS and resource-allocation studies | Examine how traffic mixes and supported RAN policies affect individual users. | Use the five included commercial UE modules or emulated UEs; available controls depend on the selected stack and service models. |
| Multi-cell algorithm development | Develop and compare mobility or load-distribution logic before expanding the live radio setup. | Start with supported emulated configurations, up to two gNBs and eight soft UEs. Live inter-cell validation requires another compatible radio and sufficient compute. |
| Fronthaul and synchronization validation | Investigate how timing, transport configuration, and component integration affect a working O-RAN chain. | O-RAN 7.2 and PTP fabric are included; specialized measurements or external test instruments are scoped to the campaign. |
| Energy and AI-assisted R&D extensions | Correlate performance with measured node power, or develop custom analysis agents and ML experiments. | Energy visibility/PDU control, GPU resources, and the BAT Agent DevKit are optional. Agentic observability is already included. |
From research question to repeatable evidence
- Define the experiment. Select the target behavior, supported control functions, traffic conditions, and comparison metrics.
- Establish a baseline. Deploy a reference blueprint and capture network, device, and infrastructure behavior before introducing a change.
- Develop and compare. Integrate the xApp or rApp, run controlled experiments, and examine the impact on the chosen KPIs.
- Package the result. Retain the configuration, application version, traffic profile, dataset, and analysis so the experiment can be repeated and extended.
Useful measures include throughput, latency, packet loss, radio resource use, policy enforcement, and application behavior. Mobility studies also examine handover outcomes and interruption time in an appropriately configured multi-cell deployment.
Start with the right scope
The standard package provides one live radio cell. Add a second compatible O-RU and the required capacity for live inter-cell experiments, or choose MX-PDK AI-RAN when two live cells and agent automation are central to the programme. Outdoor radios and larger configurations are scoped to the intended deployment.
MX-PDK O-RAN is quoted to your requirements, with one year of software updates and technical support included. Training, feature development, and additional integration services can be scoped to your research objectives. Blueprints, xApps, rApps, APIs, and operational workflows carry forward across the family as the hardware and supported configurations evolve.
FAQs
1️⃣ Can we develop both xApps and rApps?
Yes. MX-PDK O-RAN includes near-RT and non-RT RIC capabilities with the corresponding SDKs. E2 service models expose supported measurements and controls; A1 and R1 workflows support the relevant policy and rApp experiments. For near-RT RIC/xApp work within a single-node environment, MX-PDK LAB also provides a starting point.2️⃣Does multi-vendor support mean every combination is interchangeable?
Supported components share common deployment and observation workflows. Each selected combination still needs compatible releases, configuration, interfaces, and validation. BubbleRAN helps define a working baseline and the scope of the interoperability campaign.3️⃣ Can we investigate sensing or NTN?
Supported sensing workflows use SRS I/Q measurements exposed through the LLC service model. NTN experimentation includes supported emulation scenarios; live NTN or additional radio requirements are scoped separately. These are research capabilities built on the 5G platform.4️⃣Does multi-vendor support mean every combination is interchangeable?
The package includes agentic observability. The BAT Agent DevKit is optional, while the integrated agent automation package is available with MX-PDK AI-RAN. Model runtime requirements are configured for the chosen workflow.Ready to define your O-RAN experiment?
Share your research objective, preferred RAN and radio components, application interfaces, and required measurements. BubbleRAN can propose a testbed configuration and an integration path aligned with the experiment.
Find the right O-RAN configuration · Explore MX-PDK O-RAN · Explore blueprints and reusable applications.