Vodafone Partners with Intel to Develop Open RAN Chipsets

Vodafone has announced its collaboration with Intel to create purpose-built chipset architecture for Open RAN networks.

Credits: REUTERS

Open RAN allows mobile operators to mix and match equipment from different suppliers, increasing flexibility in network deployment.

The partnership aims to accelerate the development and adoption of Open RAN technology.

Vodafone has already made progress in implementing Open RAN.

The company successfully conducted its first 4G calls using Open RAN over network sites shared with Orange in Romania. Additionally, Vodafone is working with Nokia to pilot Open RAN technology in Italy, aiming to demonstrate its functionality and performance.

The collaboration with Intel will involve jointly creating chipsets at Vodafone's campus in Malaga, Spain. These chipsets will be made available to smaller third-party vendors, enabling them to test their own algorithms without significant financial investment. This approach will speed up innovation and facilitate faster mass production of the chips required for Open RAN networks.

Santiago Tenorio, Vodafone's director of network architecture, highlighted the significance of combining Vodafone's networking expertise with Intel's strength in silicon architecture design. He emphasised that this partnership will enable rapid prototyping, verification and testing, ultimately driving the acceleration of Open RAN deployment.

While Open RAN technology offers promising opportunities for network operators, the market is currently dominated by proprietary solutions from companies like Ericsson, Nokia and Huawei. However, with the commitment of major players like Vodafone and Intel, the adoption of Open RAN is expected to gain momentum.

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• Vodafone is partnering with Intel to develop purpose-built chipset architecture for Open RAN networks.

• Open RAN allows mobile operators to mix and match equipment from different suppliers, increasing flexibility.

• Vodafone has successfully conducted 4G calls using Open RAN in Romania and is piloting the technology with Nokia in Italy.

Source: REUTERS