The last 5 years saw significant moves towards the OpenRAN model, a new way of building radio networks based on a software-centric and open infrastructure, disaggregating hardware from software in the network. This helps networks support open interfaces and common development standards to deliver multi-vendor, interoperable networks and also helps avoid any vendor lock in.
In the last two years, we saw Open RAN become a viable technology. Let’s look at what happened.
2019
February: Rakuten announces world’s first virtualized, cloud-native greenfield 4G network. It has become a poster child for Open RAN though it doesn’t use O-RAN Alliance-defined “open” interfaces. What interfaces do they use? Rakuten’s radio vendor (Nokia) opened up their X2 interfaces to the software from another vendor. This proves our point that openness = open interfaces between different component vendors.
Analyst firm Dell’Oro in their post MWC19 report highlights a growing Open RAN ecosystem from software and hardware vendors to industry organizations and system integrators.
Source: Dell’Oro
July: The Small Cell Forum (SCF) has enabled a small cell Open RAN ecosystem by defining the PHY API that provides an open and interoperable interface between the physical layer and the MAC layer. 3G and LTE versions are already used in most small cells today. SCF expanded the set of specifications to enable small cells to be constructed using components from different hardware and software vendors to address the diverse mixture of 5G use cases.
October: At TIP Summit 2019, Telefónica cited the example of its Internet para Todos (IpT) project to showcase the benefits of Open RAN. IpT opened talks to bring a second operator on board after connecting more than 650 sites since May 2019 and covering 800,000 people (450,000 actual customers) with a 3G and 4G rollout in rural Peru. IpT looks to achieve economic sustainability through partnerships with local communities and by using Open RAN technologies that will reduce the cost of deployment in areas where current technologies are cost prohibitive. These include cloud-like architectures, automated network planning, open radio access solutions and a combination of optimized fiber and microwave networks.
Vodafone made even a bolder move when they opened up their whole European operations to Open RAN. Vodafone’s tender covered more than 100,000 sites and 400 million people across 14 countries. “Right now, this is the biggest tender in this industry in the world,” Yago Tenorio, head of Network Strategy and Architecture at Vodafone said at TIP Summit 2019. “It’s a really big opportunity for Open RAN to scale. We are ready to swap out sites if we have to. Our ambition is to have modern, up-to-date, lower-cost kit in every site.”
2020
February: TIP and the Open RAN ecosystem launches an Evenstar program, which is focusing on building general-purpose RAN reference designs for 4G/5G networks in the Open RAN ecosystem that are aligned with 3GPP and O-RAN specifications. Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Mavenir, Parallel Wireless, MTI, AceAxis, Facebook Connectivity and additional partners unveiled the Evenstar RRU (Remote Radio Units). RRHs, distribution units, and control unit software have traditionally been only available as a packaged unit. By decoupling the RRU hardware from DU and CU software, mobile network operators will have the ability to select best-of-breed components and the flexibility to deploy solutions from an increasing number of technology partners. The intention is to contribute the proposed solution into TIP’s OpenRAN Project Group to help accelerate adoption. The Evenstar family is expected to eventually include multiple Remote Radio Head (RRH) product SKUs. The RRH architecture is based on O-RAN Alliance Fronthaul specifications based on Split 7.2.
February: O-RAN Alliance and TIP announced a partnership agreement to ensure their alignment in developing and deploying interoperable Open RAN solutions. As TIP is agnostic about the specifications it uses for the solutions service providers need, it has to work with various standards bodies to ensure smooth deployment. This new agreement with O-RAN Alliance allows for the sharing of information, referencing specifications and conducting joint testing and integration efforts. This was an important move to ensure both organizations align in the development of 5G RAN solutions to avoid duplication, while lowering costs and sharing resources. In a blog, Attilio Zani, executive director at TIP, provided an update on the group’s activities, while revealing the partnership between the pair.
May: O-RAN Alliance and GSMA announced they have joined forces to accelerate the adoption of Open RAN to take advantage of new open virtualized architectures, software and hardware to accelerate 5G adoption globally. The press release stated the organizations will work together to harmonize the open networking ecosystem and agree on an industry roadmap for network solutions, consequently making access networks as open and flexible as possible for new market entrants and resulting in better connectivity for all.
May: OpenRAN Policy Coalition was launched. It represents a group of companies formed to promote policies that will advance the adoption of open and interoperable solutions in the RAN as a means to create innovation, spur competition and expand the supply chain for advanced wireless technologies including 5G. Its main goal is to educate governments around open technologies and the benefits.
July: Nokia and Samsung announce OpenRAN product availability for 5G. Ericsson and Huawei have not made any OpenRAN announcements (as of yet). However, Ericsson is a member of the O-RAN Alliance.
An interesting observation is that Nokia’s and Samsung’s announcements were around OpenRAN for 5G, leaving other Gs behind… We believe that if a mobile operator only deploys OpenRAN for 5G, they will have the challenge of managing two networks: a vertical one with legacy equipment and the new one with distributed, OpenRAN architecture. While the operator might have flexibility and will avoid vendor lock-in for 5G, the legacy 2G, 3G and 4G network will still rely on closed RAN components.
A greenfield US operator DISH Network committed to Open RAN for their US 5G rollout, setting deployment date of 2023.
August: Vodafone deployed a first Open RAN site in the UK for 4G.
September: Analyst firm Dell’Oro predicts in their report that the Open RAN market will be a $5 billion opportunity by 2025. Samsung becomes a supplier for Verizon 5G roll out by providing them with 5G Open RAN equipment. Open RAN is now mainstream, with not only industry organizations joining forces to drive the Open RAN movement forward, but also legacy vendors opening up their RAN for 5G.
Summary
Now that OpenRAN has been deployed and proven in those low-density areas for 5+ years, MNOs have started deploying Open RAN in urban locations for network modernization and for 5G. This will allow global mobile operators to have greater buying power as they continue shaping the Open RAN ecosystem.
