TIP members Telefónica, Vodafone issue RFI’s for OpenRAN applications to identify RAN equipment vendors

Telecom Infra Project (TIP) members Telefónica and Vodafone each issued a request for information (RFI) to identify radio access network (RAN) equipment vendors who can support OpenRAN applications. The service providers will use the information they receive to evaluate vendors' ability to meet the need for RAN platforms as determined by TIP's OpenRAN project group.

The OpenRAN project group was formed to bring the benefits of software-driven development to RAN, such as improved network flexibility and fast-paced innovation, said TIP. The group's objective is to develop programmable RAN applications based on General Purpose Processing Platforms (GPPP) and disaggregated software.

The RFIs encompass a RAN platform that has the potential to broaden operators' 4G network coverage; 2G and 3G are among the technologies included in the RFIs as well.

"This is a significant milestone for TIP as well as the entire industry. We arrived at this point through strong industry collaboration via the TIP community, especially in the OpenRAN project group," said Santiago Tenorio, Vodafone's group head of networks strategy and architecture and a TIP Board member. "Now that we have an OpenRAN ecosystem, and we have conducted initial technology validations, it is the right moment to deliver specific requirements and ensure focus by providing clarity on what we really need for our deployments. We truly expect this will help align the different open initiatives we have seen flourishing recently."

The results of the RFI process will be presented and the vendors that meet RFI requirements will be recognized at the TIP Summit 2018 in London on October 16-17, 2018.

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