KDDI, a Japanese telecommunications operator, in collaboration with Samsung and Fujitsu announced the commercial deployment of O-RAN compliant 5G Open Virtual Radio Access Network (Open vRAN) sites in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
KDDI's development of O-RAN compliant 5G Open vRAN sites using Samsung's virtualized solutions is an important step towards achieving the connectivity and performance required for the next generation of wireless networks. These sites are designed to increase equipment procurement options, reduce costs, and enable faster deployment of the network infrastructure needed to support the ever-increasing number of connected devices.
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These efforts are expected to contribute to the expansion of 5G services, offering the possibility of a more connected world with unprecedented speeds achieved through advanced communication technologies. In addition, KDDI's 5G Open vRAN sites are also intended to help alleviate the strain expected to be put on communication networks as a result of the rapid growth in network-connected devices.
Software Update
For the new sites, KDDI updated the software of an O-RAN compliant 5G Open vRAN site, KDDI, turned on in February 2022. To recollect, KDDI successfully turned on the world's first 5G Standalone Open RAN site in February 2022, powered by vRAN in Japan last year. Samsung's 5G virtualized CU (vCU) and virtualized DU (vDU), and Fujitsu's radio units (MMU: Massive MIMO Units) are interconnected with an open interface.
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Implementation
Wireless controllers are equipped with fully-virtualized RAN software on general-purpose servers to realize network functions, while wireless devices are both compact and lightweight and consume less power by utilizing high-efficiency, wide-band power amplification technology.
Core Network functions are implemented as software to enable flexible and efficient management of network resources. In addition, KDDI also updated the software of the new sites to support the 5G NSA solution connected to existing 4G sites and functions that were realized in conventional sites using dedicated equipment, including Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO).
World's First Commercial Implementation
Customers with existing 5G NSA smartphones can enjoy the same level of connectivity as earlier. Samsung also said this is the world's first commercial MU-MIMO implementation with O-RAN compliant multivendor interoperability.
With the experience and knowledge gained from this implementation in Osaka City, the involved parties aim to expand the scope of the application in 2024 to realize the full-scale deployment of Open vRAN.
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KDDI, Samsung and Fujitsu will continue to develop solutions for Open vRAN in Japan with a nationwide deployment of a 5G Standalone (SA) Network to provide customers with a new internet experience and contribute to the economy.
