Vodafone said it has begun testing open access radio technology in Europe for the first time with a view to increasing the number of vendors that can supply mobile network equipment to telecom operators and connecting more of the world's most remote communities using standardised, lower cost systems. In a statement, the company announced the first European tests of OpenRAN in the UK and said it may extend the trials to more of its markets on the continent.
OpenRAN standardises the design of hardware and software in the infrastructure, masts and antennae that make up the radio access network in order to expand the range of companies able to supply different components. The technology is based in part on work Vodafone did to develop a 'small cell' system for cities called Open CrowdCell, which is currently in use in Spain and Turkey, said the company.
Vodafone also announced the launch of OpenRAN trials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique, building on experience in South Africa and Turkey. The company said it has already undertaken lab trials of OpenRAN with Vodacom South Africa and in Turkey has deployed the technology to deliver 2G and 4G services to customers in both urban and rural parts of the country. Vodafone’s trial sites across the three countries will provide 2G, 3G and 4G services, with 5G possible over OpenRAN in the future.
The trials mean Vodafone has started working with a number of new OpenRAN technology specialists, including US-based Parallel Wireless and Mavenir, as well as UK-based Lime Microsystems for Open CrowdCell.
