The OnGo Alliance’s 5G NR Standalone (SA) Plugfest is a technical proving ground where leading device manufacturers come together to validate CBRS-based 5G SA solutions in realistic deployment scenarios. At the October 2023 Plugfest, Horizon Powered Standout Performance at the OnGo Alliance Plugfest earned recognition as the team joined a select group of vendors to undergo rigorous testing — not just to prove compliance but to showcase innovation and performance.
By participating in this industry-standard Plugfest, Horizon demonstrated its alignment with the evolving demands of private 5G. The results were decisive: all four Horizon devices tested not only passed but exceeded the benchmarks set forth by the Plugfest framework — positioning Horizon as a leader in CBRS-ready 5G technology.
What Are OnGo plugfest tests — and why they matter
The OnGo Plugfest is not a casual demonstration — it’s a technical validation event hosted by the OnGo Alliance, designed to test whether devices can operate reliably within the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum under standalone 5G configurations. These tests simulate real-world enterprise and industrial environments using a live 5G core, authorized CBSDs, SAS platforms, and test traffic scenarios.
The testing includes:
- SIM/eSIM provisioning
- CBRS Band n48 registration and connectivity
- Uplink and downlink throughput validation
- Latency and jitter performance
- Interoperability with live SAS and network infrastructure
Passing these tests is a mark of readiness
signalling that a device is suitable for commercial deployment in private and public CBRS networks. It validates compliance with 3GPP standards, FCC Part 96, and OnGo’s interoperability guidelines.
Strategic Significance of Passing the OnGo Plugfest
Successfully passing the Plugfest gives Horizon a competitive edge in several key ways:
- Market Trust: Certification from a trusted industry body like OnGo signals to system integrators, network operators, and enterprise IT leaders that Horizon devices are field-ready.
- Time-to-Market: With proven compliance, Horizon products can move faster through procurement cycles and pilot deployments.
- Differentiation: Outperforming benchmark metrics add technical credibility — demonstrating not just compliance but leadership.
- Deployment Confidence: Network planners can integrate Horizon’s solutions, knowing they’ll perform reliably under CBRS conditions.
Horizon devices tested
At the Plugfest, Horizon submitted four hardware products, each designed for mission-critical 5G connectivity across industrial, commercial, and smart city use cases:
1. IR2005G:
Industrial Router Designed for rugged environments, ideal for manufacturing and remote industrial deployments.
2. DG505G:
USB-C Dongle A plug-and-play 5G device for mobile professionals, laptops, and tablets.
3. 25005G :
Outdoor CPE High-performance outdoor unit built for fixed wireless access and remote broadband.
4. CC1005G:
5G Smart Camera: A CBRS-enabled edge camera that supports real-time video processing over private 5G networks.
These products represent Horizon’s commitment to form factor diversity, each tailored to specific 5G deployment scenarios — from plug-and-play mobility to fixed infrastructure and edge intelligence.
Testing overview and performance highlights
The Plugfest testing evaluated each device against a reference CBRS 5G SA network. Devices were tested on:
- SIM/eSIM burn and authentication
- Network registration across 20/30/40 MHz channels
- Throughput and latency under both TCP and UDP traffic
- Real-world scenarios, including jitter and link stability
MIMO and intra-band carrier aggregation (where applicable): Each Horizon product completed the test suite and achieved results well above the minimum benchmarks set by the OnGo Plugfest profiles.
These results confirm Horizon’s ability to deliver not just standards-compliant devices but optimized, high-performance solutions that adapt to the demands of enterprise-grade CBRS deployments.
Why this matters for horizon devices?
By excelling in Plugfest testing, Horizon devices gain a powerful set of technical and commercial advantages:
Deployment-Ready: Proven to work out-of-the-box with SAS systems, 5G core infrastructure, and certified CBSDs.
- Trusted Performance: Benchmarks exceeded across throughput, latency, and provisioning — which translates directly into better real-world user experiences.
- Ecosystem Integration: Validated to operate seamlessly in shared-spectrum environments — a key requirement for private 5G.
- Broad Applicability: From routers and dongles to outdoor CPEs and smart cameras, Horizon’s portfolio is now validated across use cases.
- This validation assures integrators and customers that Horizon’s hardware is a low-risk, high-performance choice for launching or scaling CBRS-based 5G networks.
Remarks
The OnGo Plugfest serves as a rigorous gateway for device validation in the CBRS 5G SA ecosystem. Horizon Powered didn’t just pass through it — it emerged as a top-tier performer. By exceeding technical benchmarks across four distinct product types, Horizon has reinforced its position as a trusted supplier of CBRS-enabled 5G hardware — ready for real-world deployment, built for reliability, and optimized for performance. With this successful validation, Horizon is poised to power the next wave of private 5G innovation.
Learn more about Horizon Powered Standout Performance at the OnGo Alliance Plugfest here.