MasOrange, Spain’s largest operator by customer base, is accelerating its O-RAN deployment with Swedish vendor Ericsson
In sum – what to know:
Open RAN-ready – One-third of MasOrange’s 5G sites are ready for Open RAN, making it Europe’s largest commercial Open RAN deployment.
AI-driven automation – rApps automate network planning, anomaly detection, and energy optimization to improve performance and reduce manual tasks.
Energy efficiency and innovation – Open RAN and intelligent automation aim to cut power use, boost service quality and support new 5G applications for consumers and enterprises.
MasOrange, Spain’s largest operator by customer base, is accelerating its Open RAN (O-RAN) deployment with Ericsson, making its 5G network one of the most modern in Europe. Nearly 30% of MasOrange’s 5G sites in Spain are now O-RAN-ready, enabling greater efficiency, flexibility, and vendor interoperability, the telco said in a blog post.
As part of this effort, the operator has integrated Ericsson’s Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP) into its network management system, bringing advanced AI-driven automation to critical processes. Through “Radio Applications” (rApps), the platform automates essential tasks such as network planning, performance analysis, anomaly detection and energy management, reducing the need for manual intervention.
MasOrange is deploying two key applications:
-Ericsson’s Cell Anomaly Detector, which uses AI to proactively identify network issues related to coverage, latency and interference.
-Future Connections’ Nix RAN Energy Saver, designed to reduce energy consumption while maintaining service quality.
The company says O-RAN architecture gives telecom operators more flexibility to integrate solutions from multiple suppliers, boosting interoperability, innovation, and a more dynamic vendor ecosystem. MasOrange aims to deliver improved customer experience, support new high-value services for consumers, enterprises and public administrations, and achieve greater sustainability through more efficient energy management.
“We are moving at record speed with Ericsson to deploy Europe’s first commercial-scale O-RAN-ready network,” said Miguel Santos, CTO of MasOrange. “We are committed to building an open, programmable 5G infrastructure that enables new innovative services and supports sustainable growth in Spain and Europe.”
In May, MasOrange had announced the deployment of what it claimed to be the country’s first 5G Advanced (5G-A) network in Seville.
Last year, Orange and Masmovil completed a joint venture combining their operations after the clearance provided by the European Union and the Spanish government.
