Vodafone Group Plc VODAFONE JOINS OPEN RAN POLICY COALITION
May 05 2020 - 1:31PM
RNS Non-Regulatory
TIDMVOD
Vodafone Group Plc
05 May 2020
5 May 2020
VODAFONE JOINS OPEN RAN POLICY COALITION
TO ADVANCE VENDOR DIVERSITY IN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS
Vodafone has become a founder member of the Open RAN Policy
Coalition, which will promote policies to advance the adoption of
open and interoperable solutions in the Radio Access Network (RAN)
as a means to create innovation, spur competition and expand the
supply chain for mobile technologies including 5G.
Past generations of mobile networks were deployed using fully
integrated cell sites, where the radios, hardware and software were
provided by a single manufacturer as a closed system. Now the
industry is working towards open RAN standards and technical
specifications that define open interfaces between the radios,
hardware and software so that networks can be deployed using
multiple vendors.
Vodafone has been a leading advocate for open RAN approaches as
part of the industry association, the Telecom Infra Project (TIP),
which it now Chairs. While open RAN is still a maturing technology,
where there is still a need to catch up with existing vendors from
the point of view of performance, cost and industrialisation,
Vodafone is actively trialling open RAN technology in the UK,
Ireland, Turkey, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of
Congo.
Johan Wibergh, Chief Technology Officer, Vodafone Group,
said:
"The lack of supplier diversity for network equipment lies at
the heart of the concerns over the resilience and security of
critical national infrastructure. Vodafone is focused on expanding
our supply chain options through engaging with open RAN vendors and
encouraging newer network providers, to ensure the optimal balance
across suppliers. Our industry leading trials of open RAN have
underlined that this is the most promising route to advance niche
suppliers, to supplement the large vendors, especially for radio
equipment and software."
Joakim Reiter, External Affairs Director, Vodafone Group,
said:
"Vodafone has devoted significant efforts for many years to
reverse the trend of concentration in suppliers. Open RAN
innovation offers the best available option to achieve this
objective within a reasonable timeframe. Through the Open RAN
Policy Coalition we are hoping this technology will leap ahead in
partnership not only with other leading industry players but also
governments. We encourage authorities - not least in Europe - to
include open RAN deployments as part of their future industrial
strategies and provide support for R&D, piloting and deployment
of open RAN as well as to start-ups in radio software. In Africa,
we would encourage open RAN as part of international financial
institutions' assistance to bridge digital divides and ensure far
more people enjoy the benefits of connectivity, which in light of
Covid-19 has never been more urgent."
The Open RAN Policy Coalition founding members include: Airspan;
Altiostar; AT&T; AWS; Cisco; CommScope; Dell; DISH Network;
Facebook; Fujitsu; Google; IBM; Juniper Networks; Mavenir;
Microsoft; NEC Corporation; NewEdge Signal Solutions; NTT; Oracle;
Parallel Wireless; Qualcomm; Rakuten; Samsung Electronics America;
Telefónica; US Ignite; Verizon; VMWare; Vodafone; World Wide
Technology; and XCOM-Labs.
For more information on the Open RAN Policy Coalition, visit:
www.openRANpolicy.org
- ends -
Fo r further information:
Vodafone Group
Media Relations Investor Relations
www.vodafone.com/media/contact ir@vodafone.co.uk
About Vodafone Group
Vodafone Group is one of the world's leading telecoms and
technology service providers. We have extensive experience in
connectivity, convergence and the Internet of Things, as well as
championing mobile financial services and digital transformation in
emerging markets.
Vodafone Group has mobile operations in 23 countries, partners
with mobile networks in 42 more, and fixed broadband operations in
18 markets. As of 31 December 2019, Vodafone Group had
approximately 625 million mobile customers, 27 million fixed
broadband customers and 22 million TV customers, including all of
the customers in Vodafone's joint ventures and associates. For more
information, please visit: www.vodafone.com .
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END
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