Samsung Networks and O2 Telefonica have announced the launch of the first commercial site in Germany that uses Open RAN and vRAN technologies. These companies have used these technologies to make O2 Telefonica’s 4G and 5G networks more reliable. They have been testing these new technologies since October 2023.
Samsung’s Open RAN and vRAN technologies power O2 Telefonica’s faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks
The Open RAN and vRAN technologies have been deployed in Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria. This is the first time Samsung Networks’ Open RAN and vRAN technologies have been used in Germany. With these technologies, the two companies will start upgrading more cellular towers in Germany. This site went online just three months after Samsung Networks shipped the required hardware to O2 Telefonica. The hardware includes 4G and 5G vRAN 3.0 and O-RAN compliant radios that support low- and mid-bands (700MHz, 800MHz, 1.8GHz, 2.1GHz, 2.6GHz and 3.6GHz), and 64T64R Massive MIMO radios.
Open RAN improves the flexibility of a cellular network operator’s site, allowing the operator to use hardware and software from different vendors. The vRAN technology brings cloud-native architecture, allowing network operators to implement automation techniques better. It also allows firms to introduce new services and technologies more efficiently and quickly. This allows them to accelerate network buildouts and adopt new 5G applications. For example, they can create an instance for an AR/VR application with low response times.
Companies will now use Samsung’s network automation solutions to control the life cycle management of their networks, from deployment to operation and maintenance.
Junehee Lee, EVP and Head of Global Sales & Marketing at Samsung Networks, said, “Samsung is setting new standards for excellence in the telecommunications industry with our innovative vRAN and Open RAN capabilities. Celebrating Telefónica’s 100th anniversary, we are proud to be the key partner for O2 Telefónica on their trailblazing journey to usher in a new era of connectivity in Germany.”