Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
February 25, 2026
AmpliTech, Northeastern Demo First Open-Source Massive MIMO O-RAN System
TLDR
- AmpliTech's open-source massive MIMO O-RAN demonstration gives operators a competitive edge by enabling flexible, multi-vendor 5G networks without proprietary lock-in.
- AmpliTech's 64T64R radio unit integrates with OpenAirInterface's CU/DU stack using O-RAN Category B fronthaul to create a fully open, standards-compliant massive MIMO system.
- This open-source wireless technology promotes vendor interoperability and accessibility, potentially lowering costs and accelerating global deployment of advanced 5G/6G networks for better connectivity.
- Researchers achieved the first open-source massive MIMO O-RAN system using 64 antennas, demonstrating that high-performance wireless can be built entirely from open components.
Impact - Why it Matters
This demonstration fundamentally challenges the telecommunications industry's reliance on proprietary, vendor-locked systems by proving that high-performance massive MIMO technology can operate effectively within completely open, interoperable frameworks. For consumers, this breakthrough paves the way for more competitive wireless markets, potentially leading to faster network deployments, lower costs, and more innovative services as operators gain freedom from single-vendor ecosystems. For the industry, it accelerates the practical implementation of Open RAN principles at scale, enabling network operators to mix and match components from different vendors while maintaining peak performance—a critical advancement as 5G networks expand and 6G development begins. The validation of Category B fronthaul with open-source components represents a technical milestone that could reshape how future wireless infrastructure is designed, deployed, and optimized worldwide.
Summary
In a groundbreaking development for wireless communications, AmpliTech Group, Inc. and researchers from Northeastern University's Institute for Intelligent Networked Systems (INSI) have successfully demonstrated the world's first open-source prototype of a massive MIMO O-RAN system achieving Category B operation. This landmark validation, announced via a press release distributed by PRISM MediaWire, integrates AmpliTech's commercial-grade 64T64R MIMO radio unit with the OpenAirInterface (OAI) CU/DU stack, creating the first complete end-to-end massive MIMO O-RAN system assembled entirely from open, interoperable components. The demonstration proves that high-performance massive MIMO technology—which uses large antenna arrays to serve multiple users simultaneously—can operate effectively without reliance on proprietary, vendor-specific implementations that have historically dominated the industry.
The collaboration between AmpliTech's 5G Division and the INSI team showcased hybrid beamforming capabilities with a 2-layer MIMO configuration, demonstrating sustained throughput under mobility conditions with proper beam management. According to Tommaso Melodia, Director of INSI, this represents "a significant step toward making Massive MIMO Open RAN a practical reality rather than a research ambition." The demonstration specifically validates the O-RAN 7.2 Category B fronthaul interface, which is technically demanding but essential for enabling massive MIMO at scale. Irfan Ghauri of the OpenAirInterface Software Alliance emphasized that this achievement "turns open-source software from a research tool into a credible foundation for commercial deployment," showing that openness and high-performance massive MIMO are fully compatible rather than in conflict.
Fawad Maqbool, CEO and CTO of AmpliTech Group, highlighted that this demonstration provides operators with the confidence to deploy Open RAN at scale, proving that "high-capacity massive MIMO and true multi-vendor openness are no longer in tension." The INSI team led the system integration, testbed configuration, and validation measurements, creating a reproducible reference implementation that academic and industry researchers can build upon. As the open-source nature of this demonstration allows the architecture to be studied, replicated, and extended, it accelerates adoption across both research and operator communities. This development aligns with growing momentum around Open RAN and next-generation wireless systems, where flexibility, vendor interoperability, and intelligent control are viewed as essential properties for future 5G and 6G deployments. For further information about AmpliTech's innovations, visit www.amplitechgroup.com.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by PRISM Mediawire. Read the original source here, AmpliTech, Northeastern Demo First Open-Source Massive MIMO O-RAN System
