Japanese operator NTT Docomo launched what it claimed to be the first GPU-accelerated commercial 5G network sites in the world, architecture said to cut costs and power consumption.
The operator asserted the approach has the potential to reduce total network costs by up to 30 per cent and halve power consumption at base stations compared with current 5G deployments.
It is currently rolling out the architecture across Japan, using equipment from Nvidia, Fujitsu and Wind River,
In its statement, Nvidia highlighted the open RAN system uses high-performance 5G vRAN equipment from Fujitsu alongside its converged accelerators and stack products.
Nvidia added the combination enabled operators to “create a fully software- and cloud-defined network that can dynamically allocate resources using industry-standard equipment”.
In NTT Docomo’s announcement, it explained the architecture also used a cloud platform from Wind River and commercial off-the-shelf servers with Intel processors.
Wind River, Fujitsu and Nvidia have been working with the Japanese operator on its 5G open RAN ecosystem experience (OREX) service, which forms the basis of the architecture upgrade announced today (26 September).
Nvidia noted the “commercial deployment in Japan is a first step in the vision of OREX where members can commercially validate their solutions and then promote them to other operators globally”.
Alongside announcing its deployment, NTT Docomo unveiled a fresh service line-up of OREX products as part of an aim to become “an open RAN service provider for international telecom operators”.
Source: https://www.mobileworldlive.com/_network-tech/docomo-nvidia-fujitsu-wr-open-ran-first/