How can we build trust in the Open RAN ecosystem?
As 5G demand continues to escalate worldwide, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are seeking ways to improve performance, speed new services to market, and increase agility, even as they cut operational costs. These demands are driving interest in virtualized and open Radio Access Network (RAN) architecture as a means to achieve the advantages required to compete in this high-stakes network landscape. While there are many advantages to the Open RAN ecosystem, it is still building trust among operators.
With the adoption of Open RAN technology, MNOs have the freedom to implement best of breed solutions, which enables optimized network performance, as well as greater flexibility and speed to market. Furthermore, Open RAN implementation unlocks new opportunities to offer varied services. For example, by providing access to open interfaces and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), MNOs can enable the development of innovative, value-added Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered apps to boost revenue among enterprise customers.
Of course, successful deployment, integration, and the operation of disaggregated Open RAN infrastructure relies on interoperability standards and a robust, multivendor Open RAN ecosystem. Advancements of industry organizations like the O-RAN ALLIANCE and the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) have yielded well-established standards and provide reliable standardized open interfaces. Yet, as demonstrated in a recent survey by analyst firm Analysys Mason, only two in ten Tier One operators have an open network strategy in place, despite the fact that a large majority believe open networks are critical to their survival.
Real-world implementation
Although Open RAN networks have been successfully deployed worldwide by both legacy and greenfield network operators, industry vendors and MNOs need to alleviate any doubts about end-to-end network operation to ensure continued adoption and growth of Open RAN. Rigorous interoperability testing in a multivendor environment plays an integral part in this process. In fact, when evaluating Open RAN Distributed Unit (O-DU) and Radio Unit (O-RU) solutions, MNOs cite ‘successful interoperability testing’ as the most important criterion, as evidenced in a recent Heavy Reading survey.
To that end, Fujitsu believes it is important to participate in multiple industry initiatives to further collaborative research and testing efforts involving O-RAN compliant hardware and software solutions. Several recent examples, in particular, demonstrate significant progress in furthering Open RAN integration and deployment through industry collaboration.
- Helping ORCID to flourish
The Open RAN Center for Integration and Deployment (ORCID) consortium opened a state-of-the-art facility last month in Cheyenne, Wyoming, as part of the group’s mission to advance U.S. leadership in Open RAN. Spearheaded by EchoStar Corporation, in collaboration with consortium partners Fujitsu, Mavenir, and VMware, as well as technology partners Dell, AWS, VIAVI and Keysight, the facility is made possible with support from a Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund grant.
The new ORCID facility provides a fully operational, end-to-end, commercial-grade network for testing Open RAN solutions, allowing suppliers to validate their hardware and software. A collaboration between industry leaders and the Department of Commerce, this effort is intended to fulfill a critical need to strengthen the Open RAN ecosystem, providing the resources needed for open and secure networks to prevail.
- Strike an ACCoRD
Likewise, the Acceleration of Compatibility and Commercialization for Open RAN Deployments (ACCoRD) consortium has recently opened a testing lab with support from the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Located in Richardson, Texas, and affiliated with the University of Texas Dallas Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, the facility is part of a nationwide collaboration to pursue research, testing, evaluation, and development of next-generation Open RAN products and services.
A key goal of the ACCoRD lab is to develop new testing approaches to advance Open RAN adoption, as well as testing 5G network performance, interoperability, and security. Consortium members include AT&T, Verizon, Reliance Jio, NTT DOCOMO, Keysight, Ericsson, Samsung, Fujitsu, and CommScope.
- Forge ahead with VALOR
Another industry collaboration is the VIAVI Automated Lab-as-a-Service (VALOR™) initiative, which offers fully automated, open and impartial Lab-as-a-Service / Test-as-a-Service for Open RAN interoperability, performance and security. Supported by a grant from the NTIA Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, the VALOR Open RAN testing facility in Chandler, Arizona, enables a unified framework for hybrid physical and cloud lab testing.
VALOR brings together a joint O-RU testbed with Rohde & Schwarz for O-RU conformance and network energy saving tests, a large ETS-Lindgren RF anechoic chamber for Massive MIMO and beamforming Over-the-Air (OTA) performance testing, and ‘golden’ Open RAN-compliant O-CU, O-DU, and O-RU reference technologies from Fujitsu, SOLiD, and Capgemini. VALOR is the first test service to be authorized by TIP for their system performance certification program.
Building trust in a strong Open RAN ecosystem
Industry efforts to advance Open RAN are starting to pay off, with a majority of MNOs expecting to have a ‘scaled live deployment’ by the end of 2025. With a truly open approach to 5G and future 6G architecture, we can nurture an open, multivendor ecosystem that will enable even greater levels of deployment flexibility and increased service innovation to drive business growth.
At Fujitsu, we have a long history supporting open networking, with a demonstrated commitment to strong collaboration and continuous development. This mission involves active participation in industry organizations and collaborative partnerships to ensure that Open RAN networks are truly open, interoperable and well-positioned for optimum performance.
