In the 5G era, open radio access network (Open RAN) is gaining momentum as it holds the promise of accelerating 5G adoption and reducing costs, especially for smaller mobile network operators. One of the main advantages of Open RAN is that it liberates telecom operators from reliance on proprietary hardware and software from a single vendor, which is a long-standing industry norm. With Open RAN, operators can leverage software-based network functions using standard commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) servers. Additionally, Open RAN promotes the use of virtualisation and cloud technologies within the mobile industry. By utilising open interfaces and standard application programming interfaces, it facilitates the integration of solutions and technologies from different vendors, simplifying the deployment of new services and applications. This approach grants network operators a greater control over their networks, fostering quicker innovation, more efficientnetwork management, and improved service quality.

A recent GSMA report highlighted that O pen RAN has the potential to reduce mobile network deployment costs by up to 30 per cent. It also encourages greater competition among vendors, leading to lower prices, increased innovation and ultimately, better services for consumers. These benefits make a compelling case for Open RAN adoption across the telecom sector, creating exciting new opportunities for stakeholders throughout the value chain. According to an EY report, the Open RAN market is expected to reach approximately $ 44.7 billion globally by 2029.

Initiatives undertaken

Open RAN development has not been limited to just the industry’s private players. With its promise to make networks more open, flexible and inclusive, the Indian government is also taking note of its potential.

Testing facilities

In May 2023, the government launched an Open RAN test bed for conformance, certification and interoperability testing of Open RAN-based solutions. The test bed is developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and aims to support innovators, start-ups, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and other stakeholders in testing open RAN technology.

According to the government, this initiative will facilitate research and development (R&D) in Open RAN by providing testing facilities to advance the Open RAN ecosystem in India. It will also enable the testing of Open RAN elements and support the development of a fully indigenous 5G radio network in the country. Additionally, the test bed will facilitate the certification and badging of subsystems that conform to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and O-RAN Alliance specifications.

The establishment of this test bed is expected to spur indigenous design and development of world-class O-RAN based solutions, thoroughly tested for diverse deployment scenarios. It will also create new opportunities for exporting home-grown technologies, showcasing India’s R&D prowess in the telecom sector and contributing to the socio-economic growth of the country.

Furthermore, the test bed is planned to be commissioned in multiple phases.

Collaborations and partnerships

The government has been proactively accelerating the penetration of Open RAN technology in the country. It has formulated the US-India Open RAN Acceleration Roadmap, in collaboration with the US, marking a milestone agreement that promotes interoperability and scaled deployments of Open RAN products. Both nations have agreed for joint efforts in next-generation communications technologies, representing a significant stride towards global technological advancement.

In 2023, India’s Bharat 6G Alliance and the NextG Alliance, part of the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions, signed an agreement to collaborate in Open RAN and research in 5G and 6G. This agreement is another effort to encourage Indian telcos to adopt and deploy the technology.

Then, in September 2023, another joint announcement on Open RAN marked the signing of an MoU between the Bharat 6G Alliance and the NextG Alliance. This MoU focuses on the Open RAN task forces and aims to boost public-private cooperation between vendors and operators.

Telco deployments

In India, telecom operators, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) have initiated investments in  Open RAN technology.

tele.net takes a look at their progress…

Reliance Jio

Currently, Jio is building its own 5G network based on Open RAN technology and is expected to be ready to sell its Open RAN solution in the global market within the next three to four years.

Earlier in 2023, Jio successfully tested its in-house built 5G radios, integrated with its 5G core. The company plans to leverage India-based manufacturers for its 5G ecosystem, potentially including SignalChip, Saankhya Labs, Tejas Networks, STL and VVDN Technologies. Radisys and Qualcomm are already integral parts of this ecosystem. Qualcomm’s venture arm plans to invest $97.1 million in Jio’s platform, acquiring about 0.15 per cent equity stake.

Additionally, NTT Docomo has collaborated with AT&T and Verizon Communications, along with Jio, to verify Open RAN technology.

Airtel

Airtel has deployed Open RAN across multiple cities in India for 4G services using Altiostar’s technology. This software is 5G-ready and it can seamlessly transition to 5G, using the same network architecture. Airtel is actively contributing to standardisation efforts as a member of both the O-RAN Alliance and the Telecom Infra Project. In November 2020, Airtel hosted the first Open RAN Alliance plugfest event in India, where along with Altiostar and NEC, it has demonstrated the Open RAN option 7.2x split, integrating a virtualised Open RAN distributed unit from Altiostar.

Earlier in 2021, Airtel partnered with Qualcomm to deliver 5G fixed wireless access for residential and business customers, utilising Qualcomm’s Open RAN platform through its network of vendors and device partners. In addition to Qualcomm and Altiostar, Airtel has also partnered with Intel, Mavenir and the Tata Group. Mavenir is collaborating with Airtel to roll out Open RAN 4G and 5G sites in rural areas, with an initial target of 2,500 sites, which will be scaled up to 10,000 sites.

Vi

Vi has also launched an Open RAN pilot in India with Mavenir, demonstrating their commitment to Open RAN technology. They plan to extend the deployment of time division duplexing (TDD) and massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) sites across multiple cities in India. Additionally, partnering with several Open RAN ecosystem vendors, they aim to develop solutions tailored to India’s traffic requirements and build a 4G+ network by advancing the deployment of 5G technologies. The deployment, which began in September 2023, is already carrying live commercial traffic ahead of a planned large-scale roll-out. This pilot marks the first Open RAN-compliant deployment in Vi’s network, utilising the N78 and N258 millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum bands and B1 supporting non-stand alone (NSA) architecture. Mavenir will provide an end-to-end cloud-native Open RAN system, including a DU solution based on COTS hardware, OpenBeam radios, a centralised unit (CU),  remote radio units (RRUs) and RAN software capabilities. The deployment will also utilise Red Hat OpenShift, a hybrid cloud application platform using Kubernetes.

In February 2024, Mavenir was in an advanced commercial phase of the Open RAN network pilot deployment for Vi, utilising the mmWave spectrum band. As part of this deployment, Mavenir, along with Red Hat, is providing a complete, end-to-end cloud-native Open RAN system for Vi.

Sustainability issue

One of the most critical challenges for operators in the coming decades will be managing power consumption in RAN, particularly with carbon neutrality goals set to take effect between 2030 and 2040. Open RAN networks are being developed to handle increasing volumes of network traffic and during the initial deployment phases, energy costs are expected to rise slightly compared to traditional configurations. However, chipmakers are now designing chipsets that maintain the programmability required by Open RAN, which will help optimise power usage of Open RAN equipment, such as CUs and DUs, as these networks mature. Overall, a cautious approach to transitioning to this new architecture is recommended.

Conclusion

Net, net, Indian telecom operators are making significant strides in Open RAN technology, with ongoing deployments, partnerships and pilots indicating a promising future for this transformative approach in the telecom industry. However, the Indian telecom industry has highlighted interoperability, performance and cost as major challenges in implementing Open RAN. To realise the benefits of these open architectures, several security risks and deployment challenges must also be addressed. This requires integrating rigorous testing and validation processes from the lab to deployment and beyond.

According to a report by Counterpoint Research, after a period of rapid network build-outs, greenfield operators are expected to aim at lowering capital expenditures in 2024, focusing on network monetisation. Further, investments in Open RAN are anticipated to rise after 2025, with network operators projected to invest over $30 billion cumulatively between 2022 and 2030.

Going forward, the Open RAN movement holds promise for transforming the telecom industry and remarkably, Open RAN deployments are expected to surge in India in 2024.