Virgin Media O2, NEC and Rakuten activate Open RAN sites

Virgin Media O2, NEC, and Rakuten have activated their first commercial sites as part of an Open RAN partnership.

Open RAN helps to break up the relative monopoly held by a handful of telecom equipment vendors and provides greater diversity in national infrastructure.

“The successful activation of Virgin Media O2’s first UK macro-sites demonstrates the potential of the multi-vendor Open RAN model,” said Jeanie York, CTO at Virgin Media O2.

“We are...

30 August 2022 | 5G

UK announces plans to ‘unleash’ 5G and 6G innovation

The UK Government has announced plans to “unleash” 5G and 6G innovation, including through a partnership with South Korea.

Up to £25 million has been set aside for the ‘Future Open Networks Research Challenge’. Academics and industry players can apply for funding to support their early-stage research into open and interoperable telecom solutions, such as Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN).

The Future Open Networks Research Challenge is part of the UK...

26 July 2022 | 5G

Survey highlights growing O-RAN appetite

A new survey highlights the growing appetite for O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) technologies.

Jabil commissioned SIS International Research to conduct this year’s 5G Technology Trends Survey. 193 stakeholders that are directly involved “in the development, implementation, or adoption of 5G technologies” at leading telecom companies took part.

O-RAN aims to break up the monopoly held by a handful of telecom vendors with open, interoperable equipment. The ability...

30 June 2022 | 5G

Vodafone opens R&D centre to design its own Open RAN chips

Vodafone has opened Europe’s first dedicated R&D centre to help the operator design its own Open RAN chips.

Open RAN helps to break up the relative monopoly held by a handful of telecoms equipment vendors and provide greater diversity in national infrastructure.

An increasing number of governments and operators are supportive of Open RAN for its benefits of helping to lower costs, prevent vendor lock-in, and lessen the impact of decisions like banning Huawei from...

31 January 2022 | Networks

Vodafone activates the UK’s first live 5G Open RAN site

Vodafone has switched on the UK’s first live 5G Open RAN site as part of thousands it has planned.

The groundbreaking site was delivered in partnership with Samsung, Wind River, Dell, Intel, Keysight Technologies, and Capgemini Engineering—proving the interoperability benefits of Open RAN.

Here’s what each partner is delivering:

Samsung: Virtualised Radio Access Network (vRAN) Solutions, as well as technical, product, and integration supportDell: Common Off...

19 January 2022 | 5G

Germany warns that Open RAN poses a security risk

Germany doesn’t agree with the assessment that Open RAN (O-RAN) provides a more secure alternative to certain vendors.

A US-led campaign warning that Chinese vendors such as Huawei pose a security risk led many governments to ban or restrict the use of such equipment in national infrastructure. The exile of vendors that have provided equipment for multiple generations of networks has been costly for operators and set back their rollouts.

O-RAN has been hailed as the...

24 November 2021 | 5G

Vodafone partners with Mavenir to develop indoor OpenRAN solution

Vodafone and Mavenir have developed a small cell OpenRAN solution for indoor network coverage.

The solution is designed for businesses with medium to large office spaces and uses OpenRAN to support interoperability and prevent vendor lock-in.

Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer at Vodafone UK, said:

“So far, OpenRAN deployment has focused on outdoor connectivity, but there is significant potential for this technology in the office environment.

A simple...

8 July 2021 | LTE

Let’s be FRANC, the UK wants to be a 5G OpenRAN pioneer

The UK Government has launched a £30 million scheme to cement the country’s leadership in developing the next generation of 5G networks.

FRANC (Future RAN Competition) will help to fund innovative R&D projects across the UK to help speed up the adoption of OpenRAN (Open Radio Access Network) technology. Projects vying to claim a share of the funding are encouraged to make proposals that will help to fast-track viable solutions and encourage further business and government...

2 July 2021 | Legislation & Government

UK opens £1M SONIC Labs to accelerate 5G OpenRAN deployment

The UK government has announced the launch of two new labs to accelerate the development, testing, and deployment of 5G OpenRAN.

One of the new “SONIC Labs” will be based in London while the other will be in Brighton. The sites will enable various manufacturers to supply components for 5G radio equipment and test them prior to real-world deployments.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman launched the SONIC Labs at a virtual event this morning. He...

24 June 2021 | Legislation & Government

Vodafone gives OpenRAN contracts to Samsung, NEC, Dell, Wind River, and others

Vodafone has given valuable contracts to Samsung, NEC, Dell, Wind River, and others as part of its commitment to use OpenRAN in its network.

OpenRAN gives the opportunity for smaller telecoms vendors to compete against legacy players with standards-based and interoperable equipment.

Matthew O’Neill, Head of Networks at NTT DATA UK, said:

“Vodafone’s announcement will progress the development of OpenRAN technology across Europe – a positive move that...

14 June 2021 | Networks