Berlin, October 28, 2025
The xG-ALOE initiative, together with Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) and EANTC AG, reached a significant integration milestone for open mobile network architectures at the first xG-ALOE Plugfest. From 29 September to 2 October 2025, leading partners from industry and research tested the interoperability and performance of modern Open RAN components under realistic conditions in Berlin.
End-to-end scenarios were assessed from Radio Unit (RU) through Distributed Unit (DU) and Centralized Unit (CU) to the core network. Key focus areas included Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), localization, sensing, and security. Results confirm that open and interoperable networks provide a robust foundation for industrial campus deployments.
The first xG-ALOE Plugfest of its kind impressively demonstrates the technical maturity of open mobile network architectures in the European context and marks the transition of the initiative from the conceptual to the practical integration and testing phase.
Technical highlights:
- High-precision time synchronization over 5G (<100 ns):
Achieving sub-100-nanosecond time synchronization demonstrates suitability for time-critical applications and TSN-based automation. - Validation of optical LiFi backhaul:
The tested optical wireless backhaul tested enables flexible, nomadic, or agricultural deployments where cabling is impractical. - Early 6G core evaluation with commercial devices:
Prototype 6G core tests using off-the-shelf devices mark a shift from lab-only setups to realistic environments. - Successful multi-vendor interoperability:
More than twelve organizations from industry and research successfully integrated heterogeneous O-RAN components—an essential step toward an open, interoperable 5G and future 6G ecosystem. - Transparent documentation of technical limitations:
Openly identified constraints provide valuable insights for the community and lay the groundwork for further optimization in upcoming test cycles.
Participating organizations included, among others, airpuls GmbH, AiVader, brown-iposs GmbH, EANTC AG, Fraunhofer FOKUS, Fraunhofer HHI, Fraunhofer IIS, Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, IS-Wireless, QUALIGON, RWTH Aachen University, Dresden University of Technology, and University of Passau.
The xG-ALOE test report represents solid engineering validation work that advances the field incrementally rather than disruptively. The most newsworthy results include the achievement of TSN synchronization and the successful LiFi backhaul demonstration.
The xG-ALOE Plugfest also served as a catalyst for new collaborations and research initiatives in the field of open, interoperable network infrastructures.
Gabriele Schrenk, Managing Director of EANTC AG, stated: “The first xG-ALOE Plugfest was a major success in fostering innovation and cooperation across the entire ecosystem. It laid a solid foundation for future testing events and for the continued evolution of open, flexible, and interoperable network solutions.”
“Particularly valuable is the transparent and constructive exchange on technical challenges within the framework of xG-ALOE; only in this way can the industry jointly drive innovation and establish standards,” says Leszek Raschkowski, Head of Prototype Development and Systems Integration at Fraunhofer HHI.
Find the full test report here: xG-ALOE — xG-ALOE Plugfest 2025
The next xG-ALOE Plugfest is planned for September 2026. Learn more about the initiative via: https://xg-aloe.de