We are thrilled to present Release 26.10 of the OCUDU open-source project! With this release, the OCUDU project takes a major step forward in both functional maturity and operational robustness, bringing open-source 5G Radio Access Network software closer than ever to commercial production deployments.
Release 26.10 delivers critical advancements across radio signal processing, scheduler efficiency, non-terrestrial connectivity, and carrier-grade security. Here is a comprehensive overview of what’s new in this release, organized into four key functional pillars.
1. Advanced Physical Layer & Radio Capabilities (MIMO, Beamforming & Open Fronthaul)
This set of features significantly upgrades the gNB physical layer and O-RAN frontend, enabling high-capacity multi-antenna operations and advanced spectrum capabilities. By introducing 8T8R antenna architecture alongside O-RAN Category B split 7.2x support, the stack can offload complex precoding and beamforming calculations to the Open Radio Unit (O-RU). Coupled with Type-II CSI codebook feedback for fine-grained multi-user channel estimation and Rel-15/16 beam management across both sub-6 GHz (FR1) and mmWave (FR2) frequencies, these additions deliver superior spectral efficiency, higher throughput, and reliable directional coverage in dense deployment scenarios.
- Cat.b 7.2 OFH interface: Open Fronthaul split 7.2x Category B support for handling multi-antenna/beamforming processing at the O-RU.
- 8T8R support: 8 Transmit / 8 Receive antenna configuration support.
- Type-II codebook CSI report and feedback: High-resolution Channel State Information feedback mechanism for enhanced MU-MIMO precoding.
- Release 15/16 beam management for FR1/FR2: Dynamic beam selection, identification, and tracking across sub-6 GHz (FR1) and mmWave (FR2) spectrum.
2. MAC Scheduler, Coverage & Reliability Enhancements
Release 26.10 marks a significant step forward in optimizing network responsiveness, reach, and link stability. By combining smarter signaling mechanisms with enhanced channel durability, this release directly targets two of the most critical aspects of user experience: ultra-low latency and consistent coverage.
- 2-step RA: 2-step Random Access procedure to reduce connection setup latency and overhead compared to traditional 4-step RA.
- UL pre-scheduling: Proactive uplink resource allocation before explicit UE requests to optimize latency.
- UL configured grant Type-1: Grant-free uplink transmission setup via RRC signaling without requiring dynamic PDCCH scheduling per packet.
- TTI bundling (PUSCH + PDSCH Aggregation/Repetition): Slot/subframe aggregation for data channels to improve uplink and downlink coverage at cell edges.
- PUCCH repetition: Control channel repetition to boost PUCCH transmission reliability and coverage.
3. Positioning & Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) Capabilities
This functional group introduces specialized service capabilities that extend the reach and precision of the gNB beyond standard terrestrial voice and data. The combination of Downlink Positioning Reference Signals (DL-PRS) and Angle-Based Positioning (AoA/AoD) equips the network to perform accurate 3GPP-compliant UE location tracking for industrial and emergency use cases. Simultaneously, the inclusion of Release 17 Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) support expands protocol capabilities to handle large propagation delays and Doppler shifts, laying the groundwork for satellite-based (LEO/GEO) and airborne cellular communications.
- Angle-based positioning: Location estimation using Angle-of-Arrival (AoA) and Angle-of-Departure (AoD) measurements.
- DL-PRS generation: Downlink Positioning Reference Signals generation used for UE location measurement.
- Release 17 NTN: 3GPP Rel-17 extensions supporting Non-Terrestrial Networks (LEO/GEO satellites and High-Altitude Platform Stations).
4. Security, Platform Resiliency & Control Plane
The next set of features strengthens software reliability, platform integrity, and secure transport across the core stack interfaces. The integration of DTLS provides strong encryption and mutual authentication for SCTP-based transport channels, protecting critical traffic from interception and tampering. Furthermore, expanding continuous fuzz testing to the NGAP (control plane to core), RRC (radio control plane), and Open Fronthaul protocol layers systematically exposes edge-case memory corruptions, vulnerabilities, and parsing errors, ensuring the software remains resilient against malicious payloads and operational unexpectedness.
- DTLS support for secure communication: Datagram Transport Layer Security for securing control plane transport links over SCTP. This includes the F1-C, E1 and Xn-C interfaces.
- Security and Resiliency enhancement with fuzz testing to NGAP, RRC, and OFH layers: Automated continuous vulnerability scanning and robustness testing across key interface stacks, available on the OSS-Fuzz OCUDU Project Profile.
Looking Ahead
Release 26.10 marks a crucial milestone in turning open-source 5G stack implementations into production-ready software suitable for real-world private networks, telecom testbeds, and commercial O-RAN infrastructure. We invite developers, researchers, and network operators to explore the codebase, test the new features, and contribute to the growing OCUDU ecosystem!
Explore the OCUDU code base on GitLab
Read the OCUDU Documentation
Join us at the upcoming Developer Summit in Alexandria, VA on October 20th-22nd to learn how others are using OCUDU for innovation and advanced research.