Way back in September 2020, I wrote up on Open RAN networks and how it is reshaping future of telecommunications globally. After 1.5 years that O-RAN is very much alive and getting more traction from the industry. ORAN is now widely accepted globally. For those are uninitiated, Open RAN (Radio Access Network) offers the flexibility to the service providers to use hardware and software solutions from different companies in multiple layers. It's something like to use open source software.
As per data from Mavenir, front runner of O-RAN solutions provider the company has been investing on this technology for last 6 years and they have more than 250 partner operators in different countries. During 2021 the company has expanded its Open RAN ecosystem to cater the service providers with wider choices, for eg: new range of radio units, OpenBeam, mmWave and mMIMO. Mavenir had been rewarded too, Koch Strategic Platforms infused $500 million for a minority stake last year.
In a media interview Mavenir CEO Pardeep Kohli explains that, “With the incredible growth of virtualisation and Open RAN, we always believed that the ecosystem had to be accelerated as this is fundamental for the success of the future of networks. Mavenir has been working with many partners in the ecosystem, and we have also injected more direct contributions when it comes to innovative design."
At the end of February, 2022 Mavenir signed a deal with Qualcomm to collaborate on new Open RAN portfolio of mmWave and mMIMO 5G radio units with 64T64R capabilities to 8T8R radios. Mavenir also plans to develop vDU RAN software based on Qualcomm's X100 5G RAN Accelerator Card.
Interestingly incumbent telecom vendors are still skeptical with Open RAN. Mavenir accused that closed system providers like Ericsson & Nokia are trying to undermine the definition of open RAN in different ways. In US Mavenir already seeked intervention by FCC regarding the alleged exorbitant pricing.
In nearly 1.5 years after scenario is not changed globally - India yet to see commercial 5G launches. Reasons of delaying of 5G launch in India are, as follows:
- Exorbitant high price for 5G spectrum
- Telecom sector is going through a financial stress and operators can't afford to buy 5G spectrums at that price
- No standard technology for 5G - and specifically development of 5Gi (home grown 5G tech) is nowhere near existing global standard.
- Ban on Chinese vendors - ZTE and Huawei after Indo-China tensions over the borders. Though Open RAN does not advocate to use any specific company's software or hardware but Huawei holds maximum 5G patent (13474 as per data by GreyB dated August 2020) and ZTE also in the top 10 with 3860 5G patents. This thing may indirectly hamper India's 5i ambition.
- India govt. is yet to meet spectrum demands of the operators. Govt. of India is working on different agencies like ISRO, Indian Army to vacate more spectrum which are fit for 5G roll out.
There is another reason of delay to launch 5G in India. The trio (Ai-Vi-Ji) got permission to test 5G from DoT, the trials were scheduled to complete on November 26, 2021 but DoT has further extended the trials for another 6-month.
What I personally believe telecom operators are testing 5G on different spectrum, and they will choose the best ones to create a business out of 5G and they will demand those spectrum to be auctioned by Dept. of Telecom, India.
How Indian telecom service providers are working on 5G ?
In India Mavenir is closely working with Airtel and conducting 5G field trials in mmWave and mid bands. Airtel also did trial with Altiostar for Virtual RAN (vRAN).
Even Vi (Vodafone Idea) also teamed up with Mavenir. Vi has other partners though, like Samsung and Tokyo-based NEC to build 4G+ or 5G networks.
Mukesh Ambani backed Jio is not sitting idle, NXP and Qualcomm is working closely with Jio for building Open RAN based 5G networks.
HFCL joined Open RAN Alliance at the end of February 2022.
No comments:
Post a Comment