IIT-H startup, Japan’s Sharp Semicon showcase adv B5G, 6G Tech
The experiments showcased the compatibility and effectiveness of advanced communication terminals
image for illustrative purpose
Hyderabad: Sharp Semiconductor Innovation Corporation (SSIC), The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) and WiSig NetworksPrivate Limited (Startup incubated at IITH), have announced the successful completion of ground-breaking field demonstrations for (B5G) and 6G technologies. This collaboration signifies a major advancement toward Japan and India’s shared vision of a digitally connected future.
The joint demonstrations, conducted at IITH Campus in Hyderabad, India, validated the performance and interoperability of SSIC’s flexible Software-Defined Radio (SDR) System-on-Chip (SoC) User Equipment (UE) and WiSig Networks’ Open RAN (O-RAN) base stations. The experiments showcased the compatibility and effectiveness of advanced communication terminals developed by Sharp Semiconductor Innovation Corporation in Japan.
Leveraging SSIC’s state-of-the-art ASUKA SDR-Box, equipped with a versatile communication SoC designed to support future communications protocols, the trials confirmed high-quality wireless connectivity and performance comparable to existing commercial 5G SoCs.
Prof Kiran Kuchi, Department of Electrical Engineering, IITH&founder of WiSig Networks(Startup incubated at IITH) and a prominent contributor to 5G and 6G global standards including 3GPP, emphasised the significance of the collaboration: "This initiative bridges academic excellence, industrial innovation, and international collaboration efforts, reinforcing the global partnership of India and Japan in next generation Wireless communications."
ToyofumiHorikawa from SSIC, who is a technical leader of development of the customisable SDR SoC, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership’s outcomes: "The results from tests and experiments carried out at the IITH campus demonstrate the immense potential of customizable SDR SoC platforms in accelerating the development of future wireless technologies. SSIC also exhibited its advanced SDR technology at the Mobile World Congress (MWC25) in Barcelona. In 2026, we plan to further expand this collaboration for advanced communication protocol testing."
Prof BS Murty, Director of IITH, remarked, "This partnership underscores our commitment to fostering international collaboration and driving innovation in wireless communication technologies, placing IITH at the forefront of technological breakthroughs."
The partners intend to deepen their collaborative efforts by focusing on advanced use cases such as Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), Mission-Critical Push-to-Talk (MC-PTT), Autonomous navigation (V2X), and Smart metering applications leveraging NB-IoT technology compatible with Satellite communications.
This Indo-Japanese collaboration exemplifies the potential for international partnerships to shape global standards and drive innovation in next-generation Wireless communications.
