Mavenir and Boost Mobile Demonstrate Inter-Vendor Open RAN Handover

Mavenir, the Open RAN (O-RAN) equipment vendor based in Richarson, TX, and EchoStar’s (NASDAQ: SATS) Boost Mobile (formerly DISH Wireless) operating unit, announced the industry’s first inter-vendor O-RAN handover using the 3GPP Xn interface, across the Boost Mobile network. The companies claim this milestone demonstrates the seamless interoperability between different O-RAN radio vendors, a critical proof point that O-RAN is viable in real-world deployments.

According to the companies, the Xn interface, as defined by the 3GPP standard for 5G NR, facilitates communication between RAN nodes from different vendors, ensuring uninterrupted call continuity and a smooth user experience. The Xn interface allows for the interconnection of both open and closed RAN nodes, promoting greater interoperability and vendor flexibility across the same region. 

Mavenir says that the validation was achieved between one of its radios and an unidentified third-party radio vendor on the Boost Mobile network. The handover highlights the maturity in 3GPP and O-RAN, and the possibilities of achieving a true multi-vendor environment where mobile devices can switch smoothly between different network components without affecting user experience, according to Boost Mobile.