Vodafone and AMD are collaborating to develop advanced silicon chips for 5G base stations, aiming to boost capacity, enable AI-driven services, and enhance energy efficiency. This initiative, spearheaded at Vodafone's Innovation Centre in Malaga, Spain, uses AMD's Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC (Radio Frequency System-on-Chip) technology to create adaptable, high-performance radio systems. Vodafone said this initiative will help reduce radio antennae size, lower energy consumption and decrease the number of base stations, all while continuing to give customers excellent coverage.
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Enhanced Capacity and AI-Driven Services
The new chips integrate radio receivers and Arm processors, offering flexibility and remote upgrades—key advantages over existing devices such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), which are very efficient, but inflexible. The single-chip radio platform is optimised to reduce radio antennae size, can be remotely modified after installation, and is custom-designed to support specific sets of radio configurations.
In its announcement, Vodafone said that the AMD-enhanced base stations will allow its engineers to "quickly support new 5G services, introduce the latest AI algorithms and industry standards, as well as dial-up capacity during busy periods without having to rip out and replace existing hardware."
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Open RAN Compatibility
"The modular design of these AMD adaptive SoCs also makes them ideal for Open Radio Access Networks (RAN), which are constructed using a mix and match of hardware and software from different vendors," Vodafone added.
In addition to evaluating the performance and cost of new chipset designs, Vodafone engineers in Malaga are also evaluating the latest compatible radio units from multiple vendors to develop a more robust chip ecosystem that can power new energy-efficient and intelligent networks.
Power Consumption Optimisation
Vodafone explained that most of the energy consumed by an operator's network comes from the power amplification (PA) of radio signals sent to users. Using AMD Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC chipsets, Vodafone is working on several energy-saving techniques, including reducing signal distortion to enhance PA power efficiency. The company is also testing its own 5G algorithms designed to dynamically control power consumption—similar to a thermostat—by adjusting to fluctuations in customer demand.
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AI-Driven Services and 5G Solutions
AMD is contributing to the advancement of 5G networks by providing the essential software and hardware for testing new Open RAN radio units. Vodafone noted that by embedding advanced algorithms and technologies within its network, it can meet future demand and scale up new 5G features such as network slicing, which can give businesses, hospitals, or schools their own dedicated network with desired service level guarantees and enhanced security.
