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

IBM and Airspan Networks target increased European adoption of 5G-enabled Open RAN

IBM has partnered with Airspan Networks in a bid to accelerate the adoption of 5G-enabled Open RAN technologies across Europe.

Open RAN delivers hardware and software that are based on interoperable and open standards—delivering greater choice and lower costs for operators while preventing vendor lock-in and enabling innovative new players to break the market hold of the handful of established players.

One of those emerging players is Florida-based Airspan...

21 September 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

TIM launches one of the first OTIC labs approved by the O-RAN Alliance

TIM (Telecom Italia) has launched one of the first OTIC (Open Test and Integration Center) labs in the world.

The new TIM European OTIC Lab is based at the TIM Group’s Innovation laboratories in Turin and is approved by the O-RAN Alliance.

The O-RAN ALLIANCE was established in 2018 by a global consortium of network operators with the goal of evolving radio access networks to become more open and interoperable. 

OpenRAN is increasingly being promoted by...

9 June 2021 | Networks

FCC hopes its OpenRAN showcase will encourage operators ‘to invest in network security’

FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced the US telecoms regulator will host an OpenRAN showcase next month.

OpenRAN is one of the industry’s most exciting new trends. The interoperable equipment provides greater flexibility to carriers and helps them to avoid vendor lock-in.

Governments are increasingly becoming cheerleaders of OpenRAN due to the security benefits of having many vendors in a network. This is especially true in many Western countries...

28 May 2021 | Legislation & Government

Vodafone and Qualcomm team up to boost Open RAN ecosystem

Vodafone and Qualcomm are teaming up to help more equipment suppliers enter the market through Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technology.

OpenRAN is set to bring about a new paradigm for how telecoms networks are deployed. Free of vendor lock-in, operators can use the interoperable equipment which suits their particular needs for cost and performance.

Dino Flore, VP of Technology at Qualcomm Europe, said:

“Virtualisation and Open RAN offer a significant...

30 April 2021 | LTE

TIM set to become the first Italian operator to deploy OpenRAN

TIM is set to become the first Italian operator – and one of the first in Europe – to deploy OpenRAN (Open Radio Access Network) solutions.

OpenRAN enables operators to choose from a range of interoperable hardware from a variety of vendors. Free of vendor lock-in, operators can use the equipment which suits their particular needs for cost and performance.

TIM signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last February with the main European operators to promote OpenRAN...

27 April 2021 | LTE