Amid cancellation rumors and a quiet event last year, the Mobile World Congress has kickstarted in Barcelona today from February 28 to March 3, 2022. In recent years, the mobile technology show’s big focus has been on the transition to 5G as well as the emergence of Open Radio Access Network (OpenRAN) viability in the telecom circles.
This year also OpenRAN is a hot topic at the world’s largest mobile technology show. As much as the telecom industry is eyeing OpenRAN to improve competition, the mobile technology has massively underperformed on two fronts, controlling the initial costs and deployment challenges. Vodafone, Zariot experts weigh in on these challenges.
So let’s look at what we can expect from the discussions on OpenRAN and 6G at the Europe’s biggest mobile show:Â
David JoostenOpens a new window , regional director, Vodafone Business
Toolbox: What is OpenRAN and why are organizations leaning toward a more open and interoperable future with OpenRAN?
David Joosten: Traditional RAN solutions generally require telecommunications operators to work with single suppliers across an entire mobile site, creating a barrier to entry for smaller suppliers that could deliver a more advanced or more efficient option or solution.Â
“Open Radio Access Networks (RAN) is a new approach to building the mobile networks needed to connect smartphones and devices to the internet and other users.â€
OpenRAN technology enables telecommunications operations to choose the best providers for each component – built to industry-wide specifications – safe in the knowledge that components will work together, exchange data and information, across the network.
Toolbox: In your view, does the flexibility and innovation that OpenRAN offers outweigh the initial investments? How cost-effective is OpenRan?
David Joosten: OpenRAN lowers the barrier to entry for new suppliers, adding greater resilience to the supply chain, a larger and more diverse pool of suppliers, making it easier to add efficiency and choice to bring down normal operating costs.Â
“A catalyst for innovation is to unlock diversity and competition and deliver cost-effective solutions. This is achieved by breaking down different components to focus on energy, cost or operational efficiency gains in specific areas. Thus, smaller wins will lead to a better net result.â€
In our case, Vodafone can work with more specialized suppliers, especially relevant in the software domain where intelligent networks call for more specialized solutions.Â
Toolbox: What solutions are available now and in the near future to aid the deployment of 5G and ensure the future of 6G?
David Joosten: As more services build on 5G and, in time, 6G networks, the connectivity and functionality needed by network operators and the industry will increase.Â
“Moving from a closed and proprietary system to an open and interoperable system such as OpenRAN allows multiple players to differentiate by components and functionality. This ensures that software and hardware components of the network are vendor agnostic and interoperable.â€
OpenRAN also enables upgrades to orchestrate, manage, and automate software without having to replace hardware components. This increases the choice of components, stimulates innovation to meet new use case demands, creating synergies and benefits across industries, and ultimately consumers. An open and interoperable system increases the speed that mobile operators can deploy next generation networks.Â
Jimmy JonesOpens a new window , head of security, Zariot
Toolbox: What is OpenRAN, and why are organizations leaning toward a more open and interoperable future with OpenRAN?
Jimmy Jones: OpenRAN represents the opportunity to bring new thinking and innovation to what has always previously been a closed shop, where single vendor solutions utilizing proprietary software and processes delivered the functionality.Â
While these incumbent companies do innovate, even the largest area of a finite size. Therefore, the standardization of interfaces democratizing the Radio Access environment should accelerate development.
See More: Network Disaggregation Offers Key Benefits to Mobile Operators as 5G Rolls Out
Toolbox: In your view, does the flexibility and innovation that OpenRan offers outweigh the initial investments? How cost-effective is OpenRAN?
Jimmy Jones: Using OpenRAN, or a single vendor RAN solution, the radio access architecture will be virtualized in the coming years.
“I think cost will be significant in single vendor architecture or OpenRAN. It would seem like a good opportunity to rethink the architecture’s methodology. Additionally, the increased commercial pressure, driven by more vendor participation, must also eventually bring cost savings for the mobile network operators.â€
Interoperability issues caused by different interpretations of standards inevitably cause problems in any network. Considering the size and complexity of the OpenRAN, these aspects should not be underestimated. Reliability is key to network operators with most held to 99.999% network up time for their national license agreements. This is why, I believe you may see the existing players providing consolidated OpenRAN solutions and continuing to dominate for some time yet.Â
See More: Rip-and-Replace Opens the Door for Wireless Industry
Toolbox: What solutions are available now and in the near future to aid the deployment of 5G and ensure the future of 6G?
Jimmy Jones: Rakuten is the obvious story in this area, and you really can’t help but admire how they have addressed OpenRAN.Â
“I talk a lot about the power of collaboration in reference to the IoT ecosystem and how as a telecom industry, we need to be fully integrated and involved to help drive innovation there. To me Rakuten epitomizes this idea and have brought their experience and perspective from previous collaborative successes to our industry and delivered undeniable results.â€
What do you think about the discussions on OpenRAN and 6G technology at MWC Barcelona this year? Let us know on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We would love to hear from you