Tokyo-based KDDI Corporation has turned on what it says is the world’s first commercial 5G Standalone Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) site powered by a virtualized RAN. For this first site, KDDI used O-RAN-compliant solutions, including Samsung’s 5G virtualized centralized units and virtualized distributed units, as well as Fujitsu’s Massive MIMO antennas.
Beginning with this site, KDDI, along with Samsung and Fujitsu, will deploy O-RAN in certain parts of Japan. Fully-virtualized 5G RAN software can be swiftly deployed using existing hardware infrastructure, which brings greater flexibility in deployment, according to KDDI.
“New 5G SA technologies―such as network slicing, Multi-access Edge Computing and others―powered by 5G vRAN, will deliver superior performance, higher speeds and lower latency, allowing our users to experience a range of new next-generation services and immersive applications,” KDDI said.
KDDI’s announcement is the third major O-RAN deployment of 2022, which looks to be a breakout year for O-RAN. In January, Vodafone switched on an O-RAN site in Bath, England, which it said was the U.K.’s first. There will be 2,500 5G and 4G O-RAN sites on the way as Vodafone said it plans to make good on its commitment to the government’s ambition to accelerate the development of the O-RAN ecosystem.
Also in January, O2/Telefónica became the first to turn on O-RAN technology in Germany, choosing the technology for its 4G small cells deployed in Munich. Additionally, Airspan Networks and Gogo Business Aviation turned on a seven-tower O-RAN 5G testbed as part of the deployment of nationwide 5G Air-to-Ground network in the United States. Last September, market analyst Dell’Oro Group revised its O-RAN radio and baseband projections upward to approach $10 billion to $15 billion between 2020 and 2025.
Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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