Vodafone and Qualcomm have announced a collaboration to accelerate the adoption of Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technology and broaden the pool of equipment suppliers capable of competing in the market.
Open RAN promises a new model for deploying telecommunications networks by reducing vendor lock-in and enabling operators to select interoperable components that best meet their needs for cost, performance, and flexibility. This approach encourages a more diverse vendor ecosystem and fosters innovation across the industry.
Dino Flore, Vice President of Technology at Qualcomm Europe, said:
“Virtualisation and Open RAN offer a significant opportunity to make 5G networks more flexible and cost efficient, transforming them into a platform for innovation. The collaboration to develop comprehensive solutions from Open RAN RU with MaMIMO capabilities to high performance DU platforms provides an important step forward in speeding up the transition to open, virtualised, and interoperable radio access networks.”
Under the partnership, Vodafone and Qualcomm will produce Open RAN technical blueprints designed to expand the range of interoperable solutions available to operators and suppliers. These blueprints aim to reduce barriers to entry for smaller vendors and support a more resilient global supply chain.
Santiago Tenorio, Head of Network Architecture at Vodafone, added:
“Global supply chains need a diverse and vibrant vendor ecosystem to keep them moving in the event of a product shortage or a single supplier having difficulties. Open RAN provides greater supplier diversity by allowing many more small vendors to compete on the world stage. Following the recent launch of our new Open RAN Test and Validation Lab, combining the creativity of Vodafone Engineering with that of our partners, we’re delighted to be partnering with Qualcomm Technologies to give smaller suppliers the best start.”
Vodafone’s Open RAN Test and Validation Lab, located in Newbury, UK, is intended to speed development and support earlier, more reliable rollouts of Open RAN technology at scale. The lab combines Vodafone’s engineering capabilities with partner expertise to validate interoperability and performance.
Matt Warman, UK Minister for Digital Infrastructure, commented that Vodafone’s Newbury facility will help establish the UK as a leader in telecoms innovation while creating jobs and business opportunities across the supply chain.
Qualcomm brings extensive experience in designing high-performance, low-power application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for both devices and infrastructure. By pairing Qualcomm’s silicon and platform expertise with Vodafone’s experience operating large, high-capacity networks, the partners aim to ensure Open RAN solutions deliver the performance and efficiency needed for current and future demands.
Gerardo Giaretta, Senior Director of Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies, said:
“Qualcomm Technologies aims to deliver cutting-edge technology for virtualised, flexible, and interoperable 5G infrastructure across the globe. We look forward to expanding our efforts with Vodafone to support flexible and scalable 5G RAN deployments. Ecosystem collaborations like this play a critical role in allowing operators and industry verticals to more quickly and easily add 5G network coverage and capacity where and when it is needed most.”
The partners plan to publish initial Open RAN reference designs later this year, with trials expected to begin in the second half of 2022. These reference designs will serve as implementation guides for vendors and operators seeking to deploy interoperable Open RAN components.
As part of its Open RAN strategy, Vodafone UK has committed to deploying Open RAN solutions across 2,500 mobile sites, helping to validate performance at scale and enabling a broader supplier base to participate in network builds.
(Image Credit: Vodafone)