US-China 5G Strife Accelerates Drive to Multi-Vendor Open RAN Implementations

The fallout from the current US-China strife over the role of Chinese vendors in providing 5G core network equipment continues unabated. In June, the respected German financial publication Handelsblatt reported that a Deutsche Telekom spokesperson said that banning of Chinese vendors from their network would be tantamount to Armageddon – the end of the world – and cost the German operator more than 3 billion Euros if enacted. Not only would this ban impact the rollout of new 5G networks, it would also force them to rebuild their 4G network infrastructure. The damage they said would continue for years.

According to Capacity Media: “As a result the company is now looking at open radio access networks (open RAN or O-RAN) to give it more flexibility in the supply chain. It notes that board member Claudia Nemat, who heads technology and innovation, is now in favor of promoting open standards.

This is an example of one of the major forces driving operators across the globe to push open networks as a must in any future network planning. This approach makes sense for many reasons: enables best-of-breed technology, lower Capex, disaggregation of hardware and software for faster implementation of new services, and greater flexibility.

One of the main challenges, however, in adopting a multi-vendor, multi-technology strategy is managing the network. How do you handle network inventory, onboarding of new network elements and services, commissioning of new services end-to-end or by segments?

Atrinet addresses this essential issue through its NetACE solution, providing end-to-end automation for discovery, visibility, service, performance and fault management, analysis, commissioning, and fast restoration of network assets and services. All from a single pane of glass – with an easy to use modeling system and web interface.

Atrinet has been collaborating with operators and vendors through TIP and other initiatives – and has actively participated in 5G trials and rollouts of multi-vendor Open RAN networks.

Press Contact:
Ohad Kamer
CMO
Atrinet, Ltd.
Email: ohad.kamer@atrinet.com