Altera Corporation, a global leader in FPGA-based solutions, and BigCat Wireless, specializing in advanced wireless communications solutions, today announced an expanded partnership to scale Altera’s FPGA-based radio access network technology to wireless customers. Under this agreement, BigCat Wireless becomes an official solutions integrator for Altera’s Open Radio Unit (O-RU) reference designs. This collaboration will accelerate the deployment of Altera’s modular radio solutions, making them more accessible across both terrestrial and non-terrestrial markets such as satellite communications.

Altera’s O-RU reference designs are powered by Agilex™ 7 and Agilex™ 5 FPGAs and SoCs, which deliver industry-leading performance and energy efficiency in wireless infrastructure. These reference designs provide customers with the flexibility to build Open RAN–compliant, customizable radio solutions while benefiting from the quality of Altera’s commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) platforms. The portfolio spans 5G O-RUs for Macro and mMIMO networks, as well as advanced satellite payloads and ground stations, helping customers bring innovations to the market faster.

Through Altera’s O-RU enablement platforms and BigCat Wireless’s design expertise, vendors and service providers gain direct access to these solutions for geo-specific implementations. This approach supports local sourcing requirements and strengthens national ownership of critical communications infrastructure.

By appointing BigCat Wireless as an official design services provider, Altera is broadening access to pre-validated ORAN designs. Organizations in 5G commercial networks, private 5G, fixed wireless access (FWA), industrial automation, defense & government, and satellite communications can now deploy customized radios and payloads more quickly and at lower costs, thanks to BigCat Wireless’ design support, tailored modifications, and lifecycle maintenance.

“We are thrilled to have BigCat Wireless helping accelerate Open RAN adoption, enabling scale, faster design cycles, and customized solutions,” said Christian Lanzani, Ph.D., Head of Wireless Business at Altera. “BigCat Wireless has proven itself to be a respected partner over the years of collaboration by delivering high-quality solutions. Together, we can accelerate adoption of highly customized O-RUs and SatCom solutions, giving customers the freedom to tailor designs to their markets while maintaining local ownership.”

“Altera’s modular, FPGA-based O-RAN enablement packages are a game-changer for terrestrial and satellite communications,” said Kannan Gaddam, CEO of BigCat Wireless. “As a distributor and design service provider, we can help customers of all sizes leverage Altera’s radio IP and quickly tailor solutions to their spectrum, performance, and application needs, while retaining geo-specific ownership.”

Altera’s FPGA-based radio solutions provide a ready-to-use foundation that removes many of the traditional barriers to O-RAN system development and integration, significantly accelerating time-to-market and reducing customers’ R&D costs. Through BigCat Wireless, customers can now access these solutions directly and adapt them efficiently to diverse applications, from expanding mMIMO capacity and extending Macro radio coverage to enabling satellite payload deployments.

Source: BUSINESS WIRE