BROWSING: Open Ran Fundamentals

Open RAN enables intelligent, data-driven RAN optimization and control, according to an ABI Research analyst Whether improving the power efficiency of mobile networks is truly the “highest priority” for operators, as Saqlain Ali, senior analyst at ABI Research, claimed at Open RAN Forum, it...

Panelists at the Open RAN Forum discuss how Open RAN is helping solve some of the biggest non-terrestrial 5G hurdles At this year’s Open RAN Forum, Cambridge Consultants’ Director of Wireless Technology Tim Rogers asserted that Open RAN architecture “accelerates the development of high-value, novel...

Panelists at Open RAN Forum discussed how AI and automation will 'uncover' a great deal of power savings for telco operators Energy efficiency has become a major priority for operators as they look to contribute to environmental sustainability efforts, as well as lower the operational...

Rakuten Symphony talks Open RAN benefits and bringing radio disaggregation to brownfield network environments Beginning in 2018, Rakuten Mobile, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Rakuten Group, started deploying a greenfield Open RAN network. Since then, Rakuten Group has also spun off hardware/software and consultancy vendor...

Viavi outlines private Open RAN benefits and security complexities Beyond macro public networks, Open RAN could also support the variety of deployment configurations necessary for private enterprise networks. But just as Tier 1 operators have to guard against security incidents to stave off financial and...

'What network disaggregation will bring to telecom comes down to what operators want out of their networks,' says Simon Burley, principal at Ofcom Panelists at RCR Live Telco Reinvention in London offered their thoughts on how the industry is working to ensure interoperability in an...

Ongoing RAN standardization work is paving the way for future 5G Advanced technology During a session at RCR Live Telco Reinvention in April, Doug Pulley, chief solutions architect at Picocom, explained that a number of actors including the International Telecommunications Union, the Next Generation Mobile...

Experts cite agility, cost savings and support as key focus areas At its essence, Open RAN disaggregates Radio Access Network (RAN) functionality from specialized, bespoke hardware to vendor-neutral hardware and software-defined technology based on open interfaces. This enables Communication Service Providers (CSPs) to source individual...

Open RAN standards help create a level playing field, but there has to be room for innovation The world of telecoms is, among many other things, an exercise in developing and implementing technologies that have been standardized via a regimented, consensus-driven process. A reductive example—without...

With Open RAN, there’s the risk of trading vendor lock-in for system integrator lock-in With greenfield success stories and increasing interest from brownfield players, it appears Open RAN is happening, but the question remaining is can it happen fast enough to meaningfully change the supplier...

As operators and vendors delve deeper into the development and testing of Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN), the RAN Intelligent Controller, or RIC, is one of the main elements of focus. "The main purpose of RIC is to automate and optimize the RAN...

Open RAN TCO and automation tooling make it a good fit for rural network expansion Extending reliable, affordable broadband access into rural or otherwise un- or under-served parts of the world is a priority for lawmakers, nonprofits and other stakeholders around the globe. As communications...

According to Radisys, Open RAN scales comes from simplification, reducing variability and focusing on product integration Early commercial deployments of Open RAN are beginning to pop up around the world, with Rakuten in Japan and Dish in the U.S. perhaps being the most notable....

Open RAN provides enterprises with better control over their entire wireless infrastructure Private 5G networks enable enterprises to secure dedicated bandwidth, custom-tailoring their experience based on their specific needs — whether it’s to assure dedicated coverage, provide coverage where none may be available otherwise or...

Mavenir exec: 'Open RAN is about the interfaces between the elements; not the interfaces within the products' According to Mavenir Senior Vice President of Business Development John Baker, there is still significant confusion about what Open RAN really means. In an effort to clear up...

Open RAN has been the subject of earnest development for a number of years and has seen large-scale commercial deployment by three major global operators building new networks with significant commitments from many large brownfield CSPs. Reducing TCO through vendor competition, component commoditization and...

TCO reduction and vendor diversification are Open RAN deployment drivers For part of the recent Open RAN European Forum, RCR Wireless News surveyed 100 members of our audience to gain a better understanding of how they’re thinking about Open RAN deployment. Top motivations include...

One of the animating conceits of Open RAN as a technology set and what’s often characterized as a “movement,” is enabling operators to mix-and-match hardware and software from multiple vendors into a radio system optimized for a particular deployment scenario. Offsetting that is one...

Nokia: The Open RAN business case isn’t yet established for new or existing networks If you look at scaled Open RAN deployments today, it will become immediately obvious that the largest builds are from greenfield operators--1&1 in Germany, Dish in the United States and Rakuten...

Vodafone: 30 percent of European network will be Open RAN by 2030 Open RAN, while certainly a set of technologies, is often described as a movement—a vision of collaboration that will enable a mix and match approach to radio systems that, if done correctly, can...

NEC's Patrick Lopez, global vice president of product management, lays out the four elements of Open RAN Editor’s note: This Q&A is adapted from an interview conducted at the Open RAN European Forum. It has been edited for length and clarity.  Q: Could we start with...

Open RAN investment grows from less than 1 percent of total RAN spend in 2019 to 3-5 percent in 2022 While there are distinctions between Open RAN, open virtualized RAN, cloud RAN and further sub-combinations of those architectures, these new approaches to building the radio...

Operators are looking for cost reduction in both CAPEX and OPEX — and RAN is one of the biggest cost factors for operators. It is also one of the most challenging areas when introducing new features and services. Tackling the RAN will have the...

LitePoint exec: 'Open RAN is good for consumers and for operators' operational costs' According to a 2022 Wind River report, Open RAN (O-RAN) has the potential to deliver up to 30% TCO savings for operators. Because of outlooks like these, LitePoint’s Rex Chen, director of...