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Assessment of Open Ran: Difference between revisions
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=== 1. Rakuten === | === 1. Rakuten === | ||
Rakuten was the first greenfield operator to launch Open Ran at scale in its commercial network in Japan. It began building its network in 2018. However, it was in 2020 that it started constructing its 4G network. Six months later, it launched 5G in its network. It is currently creating massive MIMOs for its Open Ran architecture<ref name=":4" />. The interesting thing about Rakuten's network is that it's visualized, automated, and based on cloud-native architecture. This means it can reap all the benefits associated with Open Ran. For instance, Rakuten said that by integrating antenna and radio heads, it was able to reduce the length of cables, hence achieving 30% more coverage per site compared to traditional RAN<ref>https://rakuten.today/blog/rakuten-mobile-technology-two-years-since-launch.html</ref>. As of June 2022, Rakuten's 4G network had 97.6% coverage, with the number of base stations reaching 47,556<ref>https://rakuten.today/blog/fy2022-q2-results.html</ref>. It aims to attain 99% 4G coverage in 2023 with more than 60,000 base stations. | Rakuten was the first greenfield operator to launch Open Ran at scale in its commercial network in Japan. It began building its network in 2018. However, it was in 2020 that it started constructing its 4G network. Six months later, it launched 5G in its network. It is currently creating massive MIMOs for its Open Ran architecture<ref name=":4" />. The interesting thing about Rakuten's network is that it's visualized, automated, and based on cloud-native architecture. This means it can reap all the benefits associated with Open Ran. For instance, Rakuten said that by integrating antenna and radio heads, it was able to reduce the length of cables, hence achieving 30% more coverage per site compared to traditional RAN<ref>https://rakuten.today/blog/rakuten-mobile-technology-two-years-since-launch.html</ref>. As of June 2022, Rakuten's 4G network had 97.6% coverage, with the number of base stations reaching 47,556<ref>https://rakuten.today/blog/fy2022-q2-results.html</ref>. It aims to attain 99% 4G coverage in 2023 with more than 60,000 base stations. | ||
=== 2. NTT Docomo === | |||
NTT Docomo is one of the cheerleaders supporting the deployment of Open Ran architecture. In fact, it has a lab in its research and development(R&D) center dedicated to testing and verification of Open Ran systems<ref>https://www.fiercewireless.com/5g/ntt-docomo-shares-open-vran-lab-global-carriers</ref>. The lab is shared with thirteen other global vendors, which include Vmware, Red Hat, Intel, NEC, Fujitsu, etc. Docomo started deploying multi-vendor Open Ran in its 4G and 5G networks in September 2019<ref>https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/info/media_center/pr/2019/0918_00.html</ref>. Its goal was to have 10,000 base stations by June 2021, 20,000 base stations by March 2022, and 90% coverage by March 2024<ref>https://www.mobileworldlive.com/asia/asia-news/docomo-takes-open-ran-expertise-to-the-world/#:~:text=Abeta%20said%20Docomo%20plans%20to,nearly%2084%20million%20mobile%20customers.</ref>. According to its vice president Sadayuki Abeta, Docomo's multi-vendor network is currently at the commercial stage<ref name=":42">https://senzafili.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/SenzaFili_DD_ORAN_Ecosystem.pdf<!-- Page 48 --></ref>. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||