Nokia has announced that it is ready to supply its O-RAN fronthaul multi-vendor solution to NTT DOCOMO INC.’s (DOCOMO) 5G network following successful testing. The move will enable to further select independent combinations of hardware and software to optimise its network in the future. It follows the work of the O-RAN Alliance in creating a common specification enabling interoperability between different vendors.
During the trial at DOCOMO’s Lab in Yokosuka, Nokia’s 5G O-RAN AirScale baseband was successfully integrated and tested with third-party O-RUs (radio units). Nokia’s O-RAN capabilities are built on top of its AirScale software and provide the same high level of performance, functionality, and security as Nokia’s radio products. Nokia is helping to prepare for the network architecture of the future by building open interfaces on top of its existing solutions, offering CSPs a choice to pursue O-RAN. Nokia has already made significant investments in O-RAN by leading the early deployment of the RAN intelligent controller (RIC) and the open fronthaul.
Commenting on the development, Sadayuki Abeta, general manager, radio access network development department, NTT DOCOMO, said, “NTT DOCOMO has been actively driving open RAN standardization and commercialization, being the world’s first operator to deploy multi-vendor O-RAN solutions for the 5G network. Successful testing with Nokia is an important step in further accelerating open RAN commercialization and its global expansion.”
Meanwhile, Tommi Uitto, president, mobile networks, Nokia, said, “This project with NTT DOCOMO is further evidence of our commitment to leading the open mobile future by investing in open-RAN solutions. Open RAN technology will enrich the mobile ecosystem with new solutions and business models and support an expanded multi-vendor ecosystem. We have scale and capabilities to address the increased customer demand for this technology, underpinned by the world-class network performance and security that only Nokia can deliver.”
