Addressing the “ Openness ” within Open RAN
Open RAN provides an exciting opportunity for Operators and Vendors to collaborate in a more harmonious manner . While Operators get an opportunity to pick the sub-system components from different vendors aiming towards efficient technology , cost modelling and operability , vendors see this as an area to enhance their individual products or components , instead of building end-to-end traditional RAN models .
While Open RAN has led to a more open environment and expansion across vendors and ecosystems , it also has certain challenges , such as procurement . There are different models that operators are using to procure networks ; the single-vendor model , in which all the risk is managed by a single entity that manages all the risks of multiple eco-system vendors , is one such model . The other model is procuring individual sub-systems , taking the responsibility to stitch the solution together and procuring professional services with limited liability .
Each model has different implications on accountability , risk profile and commercial / contractual conditions . From the seller ’ s
perspective , a risk premium is often defined to manage unknowns depending on the model . However , this can lead to Open RAN losing out as comparisons are often made with traditional RAN procurement models – a comparison that unfairly de-emphasizes the enormous benefits of Open RAN .
NEC has collaborated closely with Vodafone to contribute in the field of Open RAN ; together we will build one of the largest commercial Open RAN networks in the world . The future of Open RAN is promising and challenging at the same time . To allow innovation to foster , we need to move forward steadfastly and with patience . In the short term , an investment led approach needs to be taken that doesn ’ t measure TCO on Day 0 and that doesn ’ t default to the vertically integrated solutions the market is accustomed to . This will give time for the benefits of virtualisation and cloudification to be realized , which will be the basis of building next generation networks .
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