Viavi’s partnership with Calnex for the solution of an open RAN test
Published: 10 Mar 2026
Author: Precedence Research
Viavi Solutions has teamed up with Calnex Solutions to develop advanced testing solutions designed for open radio access networks (Open RAN). The collaboration aims to strengthen testing capabilities across key network layers, including protocol validation, signal performance, and timing synchronization, which are critical for ensuring reliability in next-generation telecom infrastructure.
As part of the partnership, Calnex will contribute specialized network synchronization and emulation hardware to support comprehensive validation of Open RAN components. This hardware will enable accurate synchronization for open radio units (O-RU) and open distributed units (O-DU), while also simulating fronthaul and midhaul impairments to replicate real-world network conditions. In addition, the setup will provide core network emulation for backhaul validation, helping equipment vendors test performance and interoperability before large-scale deployment.
Enhancing Open RAN performance testing through alliance
The joint solution will integrate Viavi’s portfolio of testing platforms, including the TM500 network tester, the XEdge monitoring suite, and the TeraVM network traffic generator. These technologies are widely used by telecom operators and equipment vendors to validate network performance, simulate traffic conditions, and monitor network behavior in real time.
The ready-to-deploy testbeds are specifically designed to support manufacturers of O-RU, O-DU, and open centralized unit (O-CU) equipment, enabling them to conduct pre-certification testing and validation more efficiently. By providing a comprehensive testing environment, the solution helps vendors identify performance bottlenecks and interoperability issues early in the development cycle.
One of the key highlights of the collaboration is the introduction of an end-to-end cybersecurity testing framework for fronthaul and midhaul network segments. This framework will allow companies to evaluate vulnerabilities and strengthen the security posture of their Open RAN infrastructure. Additionally, the integrated solution supports S-plane testing, which assesses the network’s ability to synchronize timing between O-RU and O-DU components, an essential requirement for maintaining reliable communication and network stability.
According to Precedence Research, the RAN analytics and monitoring market size accounted for USD 1.34 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from USD 1.48 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 3.61 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 10.42% from 2026 to 2035, due to the accelerating deployment of 5G networks and the need to manage increasing network complexity.
Strengthening innovation through collaboration
The integrated testing environment developed through this partnership is designed to comply with industry standards set by the O-RAN Alliance and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The solutions address multiple specification groups, including WG4, WG5, and TIFG, ensuring that equipment vendors can conduct comprehensive conformance testing aligned with industry guidelines.
By accurately replicating real-world network conditions such as jitter, delay, and traffic fluctuations, the testing environment enables advanced validation scenarios. These include multi-cell handover simulations, root-cause analysis for performance issues, and security vulnerability assessments across the entire Open RAN ecosystem.
A recent report by Precedence Research highlights that the RAN Analytics and Monitoring Market is benefiting from the massive deployment of 5G networks, rising mobile data traffic, and the transition toward flexible, open architectures such as Open RAN. As telecom operators continue to modernize their infrastructure, collaborations like the one between Viavi and Calnex are expected to support more reliable, secure, and scalable next-generation network deployments.