Page 83 - SAMENA Trends - May 2020

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

RAN Alliance Join Forces to Open Up 5G Networks

Two of the telecoms industry’s biggest Sinclair, chief technology officer, GSMA. "In vendors alike, to succeed in this new
trade and research bodies have joined the enterprise sector alone, we forecast generation." Mobile operators are re-
forces to fast track the adoption of Open $700 billion worth of economic value to be evaluating the way that their networks are
Radio Access Network (RAN) products and created by the 5G opportunity. The growth deployed. New virtualized architectures
solutions that take advantage of new open of the open networking ecosystem will be with open interfaces can drive cost
virtualized architectures, software and essential to meeting enterprise coverage efficiencies and allow operators to
hardware. The GSMA and O-RAN Alliance and services needs in the 5G era." In its accelerate the deployment of 5G networks.
will work together to harmonize the open latest Mobile Economy Report, the GSMA Also, open interfaces can help diversify and
networking ecosystem and agree on an predicts that operators will invest more reinvigorate the supply chain promoting
industry roadmap for network solutions, than a trillion dollars over the next five competition and innovation - for example,
thereby making access networks as open years globally to serve both consumer by building and operating a RAN based
and flexible as possible for new market and enterprise customers, 80 per cent on mix-and-match components from
entrants. 5G will facilitate the opportunity of which will be on 5G networks. "As the different vendors. The GSMA and O-RAN
to create even more agile, purpose-built demand for data and vastly expanded Alliance collaboration complements the
networks tailored to the different needs mobile communications grow in the 5G recently announced interworking between
of citizens, enterprises and society. For era, a global, cross-border approach is the GSMA and Telecom Infra Project
example, 5G is an essential ingredient needed to rethink the RAN," said Andre (TIP), and the O-RAN Alliance and TIP.
of the European Commission's recently Fuetsch, chairman of the O-RAN Alliance, The goal for these collaborations is to
launched Industrial Strategy and will help and executive vice president and chief help avoid fragmentation and accelerate
shape its future. "When 5G reaches its technology officer, AT&T. "The GSMA the successful evolution of the industry
potential, it will become the first generation collaboration with the O-RAN Alliance towards a more intelligent, open, virtualized
of mobile networks to have a bigger impact is exactly the sort of global effort that's and fully interoperable RAN.
on enterprises than consumers," said Alex needed for everyone, operators and

SmarTone Launches 5G

Hong Kong cellco SmarTone has launched
its 5G service, offering what it claims is
‘the widest network coverage, both indoors
and outdoors. The firm is using Ericsson
Dynamic Spectrum Technology, which
it says provides a seamless transition
between 4G and 5G. SmarTone CEO
Anna Yip said: ‘We see limitless potential
for 5G with its blazing-fast speed and
super-low latency. 5G will benefit both
consumers and enterprises and will be
one of the key enablers for Hong Kong’s
smart city development.’ Rival operators
HKT, Hutchison 3 and China Mobile Hong
Kong (CMHK) all introduced their own 5G
services on 1 April.

83 MAY 2020