The Business Case for O-RAN
The deployment of open-RAN is a much-discussed topic in the telecommunications industry, generating controversial opinions on both sides of the discussion. Open-RAN advocates are focused on the potential of the technology to empower telecommunications providers as it prevents vendor lock-in and allows for an operator or system integrator to create first-class network components through the use of parts from numerous vendors.
On the other hand, the technology has been critiqued by some across the industry, including some network equipment vendors (NEPs), who have questioned the issues that may arise as a result of using open-source code without established safeguards and standardization practices, which may leave the network exposed to security breaches. In addition, operators will have to fill the role of ‘system integrator’, which may be costly for the operator, counteracting the savings offered by RAN disaggregation.
Open-RAN technology is still far from widespread adoption due to the aforementioned skepticism, combined with ongoing challenges around intellectual property rights and interoperability. These issues must be overcome before the technology is adopted at scale.
Despite these challenges, O-RAN presents a range of benefits including more market competition and customer choice, lower equipment costs, and improved network performance. Forward-thinking telecommunications companies can leverage the benefits of the technology to transform and optimize their networks.
How Open-RAN is Poised to Transform Telecommunications Networks
Provide More Network Options
With traditional RAN, telecommunications companies cannot use hardware and software components from different vendors, and as such, will typically have to choose network options from a small pool of established vendors. Open-RAN, on the other hand, gives telecommunications providers the ability to combine components from different vendors, which has opened up the market to new entrants.
Simplify the Network & Speed Up Deployment
When telecommunications operators are dependent on specific vendors, the speed at which networks can be set up and developed is restricted. It is also more difficult to experiment with new components when locked into a specific vendor. Open-RAN overcomes these issues, allowing telecommunications operators to set up new networks and expand existing ones on demand. With open-RAN, they also have the opportunity to choose the most appropriate hardware and software components to customize and optimize networks.
Reduce Infrastructure Cost
Telecommunications companies are increasingly looking into the potential of O-RAN architecture as a solution that will reduce upfront infrastructure costs, while continuing to provide the same level of customer experience. Open-RAN technology can reduce costs for telecommunications companies as they are not locked into purchasing proprietary hardware or software components. In addition, they can purchase less costly hardware software components from smaller or non-established vendors.
Automate Complex Network Management
As the 5G network will be more complex than current 4G networks, telecommunications companies will require more advanced technology to efficiently manage these new networks. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI), open-RAN helps with deployment, customization, and management of 5G networks. Through leveraging built-in intelligence, complex telecommunication networks, such as 5G networks, can be managed and optimized automatically without increasing overheads.
Set Up Energy-Efficient Base Stations
The use of Open-RAN makes base stations more energy-efficient through the use of the white-box base station hardware, which was released by the O-RAN Alliance. This white box dissociates the hardware and software components of the network using reference platforms and supports both remote radio units (RRUs) and baseband units (BBUs). As such, it can be used by telecommunications providers to increase the energy efficiency of the network.
Speed Up Deployment of 5G
Open-RAN supports the integration of components from multiple vendors, stops vendor lock-in, and reduces overall infrastructure cost. The Open-RAN architecture will also further support innovative use cases through keeping 5G networks open and disaggregated. As such, telecommunications network operators are predicted to leverage the benefits of Open-RAN to speed up the deployment of 5G and roll out of 5G networks on a wider scale.
In Conclusion
Open-RAN is currently one of the biggest trends in the telecommunications industry. More and more industry players are joining the O-RAN Alliance, a global community of mobile operators, vendors, and academic institutions with a mission to re-shape Radio Access Networks to be more intelligent, open, and fully interoperable. This will speed up the evolution of O-RAN, enabling telecommunications operators to make the most of combined hardware and software components regardless of their manufacturers.
As a key contributor to the O-RAN Alliance, VIAVI collaborates on essential multi-vendor interoperability testing (MV-IOT) to ensure confidence in disparate Open-RAN fronthaul components, disaggregated software and hardware elements from multiple suppliers operating in concert. VIAVI Solutions is a preeminent O-RAN test company. Our portfolio encompasses robust device, antenna and core test solutions that span the entire Open-RAN lifecycle. Contact us to find out more about O-RAN deployment.
