Orex Sai – the Open RAN joint venture between NTT DoCoMo and NEC – says it has been selected by Cambodia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications for a project to deploy a 4G Open RAN test network.
According to a statement from Orex on Saturday, the JV will deploy its 4G Open RAN solutions at an unnamed “large commercial facility” in Cambodia as a demo to verify the technology’s ability to provide stable voice and data communications.
The network will also be used to test AI-powered solutions developed for commercial facilities by NTT Data Malaysia to trial potential use cases for 4G in such environments, and demonstrate the ability of Open RAN to support them.
Orex Sai was established by DoCoMo and NEC in April 2024 to integrate Open RAN hardware and software from partners into tailored “Orex Packages” for telcos. Under the Orex Packages framework, Orex provides a full-stack service that includes planning, construction, system verification, maintenance and operation.
Orex said that if the demo goes well, the company will introduce its Orex Packages to the Cambodian market.
Orex Sai also hosted a workshop on Open RAN and other topics on Monday at the Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology (CADT) to help develop local skillsets for Open RAN technologies.
While the chief pitch for Open RAN has typically been to provide telcos with an alternative to vendor lock-in and potentially lower costs, Orex is also pitching its Open RAN solutions – at least in Cambodia – as a security measure for digital infrastructure and a way to mitigate supply chain risks.
“Supply chain risks due to changes in the international situation and concerns about ensuring security in cyberspace have become apparent. Concerns have also been raised about the security of digital infrastructure in terms of security, openness, and transparency,” Orex said.
Orex said that because Open RAN enables various vendors (rather than a single vendor) to supply base station hardware and software, this “will make it possible to reduce supply chain risks, build a flexible and highly scalable wireless access network, and optimize prices by activating the base station market.”