Vodafone and NTT Docomo Agree to Synchronise SI and Open RAN Tests

In order to increase the efficiency of the Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN), the UK-based telecoms company Vodafone and the Japanese telco NTT Docomo have agreed to harmonise system integration and test procedures. The goal is to support businesses across Europe and Asia in the construction of networks with an open architecture. The telecom companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday that the standard testing methodology will help vendors avoid repetition when working with multiple operators while ensuring that the industry delivers secure by-design products as defined by the industry bodies, 3GPP and the ORAN Alliance.

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Docomo and Vodafone Intend To Work Together To Reduce the Total Cost of Ownership

As per Vodafone and NTT Docomo, the collaboration will be carried out through a mutual exchange of the firms’ specialised knowledge and technological resources. They said that by eliminating costly duplicate testing with different operators, their collaborative efforts would particularly help startups and smaller suppliers. In addition, Vodafone and NTT Docomo want to get the most out of the RAN Intelligent Controller platform (SMO/RIC) and the Service Management Orchestrator, all of which are parts of the Open RAN Network Operation Support System. According to the statement, their goals include defining the underlying software architecture, identifying the essential SMO/RIC features, and forecasting how they will change over time.

Furthermore, with a view to publishing a whitepaper, Vodafone and Docomo intend to collaborate in order to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) for operators by improving the effectiveness of RAN technologies, integration procedures, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and automation techniques.