The Ministry of Communications has recently collaborated with M/s VVDN Technologies Private Limited via a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to promote Open-RAN (Radio Access Network) development among registered startups, innovators and MSMEs. This partnership is integral to support these entities in testing their products in the existing lab managed by M/s VVDN. This will expedite research innovation and bolster domestic manufacturing capabilities. The primary objective of this initiative is to position India as a design leader in 5G/Open-RAN. Moreover, by facilitating a robust test certification ecosystem, it aims to establish India as the design testing and certification hub of Asia.
Understanding Open-RAN
To understand Open-RAN, it’s essential to note that it isn’t a technology but signifies a transformational change in mobile network architecture. This shift allows networks to employ components from multiple vendors. Most notably, Open-RAN enables software to integrate hardware developed by different manufacturers. The key principle of Open RAN involves “opening” the protocols and interfaces amongst the numerous subcomponents, including radios, hardware, and software, within the RAN.
About Radio Access Network (RAN)
Operating as the part of a telecommunications system, RAN connects individual devices to other network parts using radio connections. It stands as a bridge between user equipment like mobile phones or computers and its core network. This telecommunication industry refers to it as a disaggregated RAN.
Key Elements of RAN
The RAN comprises the following components:
– Radio Unit (RU): RU undertakes the transmission, reception, amplification, and digitization of radio frequency signals and is situated near or integrated into the antenna.
– Distributed Unit (DU): DU is responsible for real-time, baseband processing functions and can be either centralized or positioned near the cell site.
– Centralized Unit (CU): CU houses the less time-sensitive packet processing functions.
Functioning of Open RAN
The main focus of Open RAN is the interface between RU, DU, and CU. By opening and standardizing these interfaces and encouraging their implementation, networks can deploy a more modular design without dependency on a single vendor. Such changes also permit DU and CU to operate as virtualized software functions on vendor-neutral hardware.
Traditional RAN
Contrasting with Open RAN, traditional RAN systems have proprietary radios, hardware, and software. This system requires that all equipment comes from one supplier, preventing operators from deploying a network using radios from one vendor alongside hardware and software from another vendor. Consequently, it often results in performance reduction when components from multiple providers are mixed.
Advantages of O-RAN
The adoption of Open RAN architecture offers several advantages, including fostering innovation and providing more options for operators due to the expanded ecosystem. This shift could open new opportunities for Indian entities to enter the network equipment market, leading to increased network agility, flexibility, and cost savings. Applying an open approach could potentially make 5G more adaptable and cost-effective.
Source: PIB
