O-RAN Alliance Conducts First Global Plugfest to Foster Adoption of Open and Interoperable 5G Radio Access Networks
The O-RAN Alliance successfully conducted its first worldwide plugfest and proof of concept to demonstrate the functionality as well as the multi-vendor interoperability of network equipment that complies with the recently published O1, A1, and Open Fronthaul interface specifications.
“O-RAN’s first global plugfest showcases the power of the community to document and develop truly open interface specifications with the potential to accelerate new 5G advanced services that will be multi-operator, multi-vendor, and create opportunities for the entire ecosystem,” said Andre Fuetsch, Chairman of the O-RAN Alliance and Chief Technology Officer of AT&T. “These live demonstrations represent yet another step toward the realization of O-RAN compliant 5G RAN solutions that should soon become part of the product offerings of both mainstream and niche vendors.”
ASIA
Hosted by China Mobile, the plugfest Asian Session was held in the China Mobile International Information Port, an Open Test and Integration Center, with physical attendance well over 200 attendees from over 70 companies, plus on-line attendance of over 70 participants. Representatives from global operators including British Telecom, China Telecom, China Unicom, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, Reliance Jio, Telecom Italia Mobile and an operator from North America have actively participated in this event. The plugfest tested and integrated multi-vendor solutions that comply with the O-RAN Open Fronthaul interface and exercised decoupling different hardware technologies from the RAN software:
- Cloud-based small cell running on virtualization technology was demonstrated by CertusNet, Lenovo, ChengDu NTS and Inventec. It features a VM-based O-CU and containerized O-DU cohosted on the same x86 processor plus accelerator platform.
- Multi-vendor interoperability with 5G commercial products was demonstrated by NTT DOCOMO with Fujitsu and NEC.
- A low power configuration of cloud base station running on Yocto OS and container technology was demonstrated by Altran, ArrayComm, WindRiver, Baicells and CIG. It features the open architecture baseband signal processing based on ARM processor plus accelerator computing platform.
- Soft base station with O-RAN compliant open fronthaul interface, but without virtualization, was demonstrated by Radisys, Foxconn (Taiwan), QCT and Intel. It leverages open source software including the O-RAN Open Source Community’s OFH Lib, and BBDev based Accelerator Abstraction Layer SDK API.
- The interworking of the O-RAN open fronthaul interface was demonstrated on technology provided by FHK (Shenzen) and Viavi, which performs comprehensive tests based on the test specification by O-RAN with O-RU and UE emulator in a multiple-UE test environment.
The plugfest held in the NTT DOCOMO R&D Center presented multi-vendor interoperability between CU/O-DU and O-RU using the O-RAN Open Fronthaul interface and multi-vendor interoperability between eNB and gNB using the O-RAN X2 interface. The functionality has been successfully demonstrated by NTT DOCOMO, Fujitsu, NEC, and Nokia. NTT DOCOMO has already started 5G pre-commercial service with the presented products. An Open Test and Integration Center is planned to be established in Japan.
NORTH AMERICA
The plugfest and proof-of-concept conducted within an Open Test and Integration Center candidate in North America, 5G COSMOS, which consists of vendor and university labs in the NYC metro area, was hosted by AT&T and focused primarily on the validation of the O1 and A1 interfaces:
- Physical Network Function (PNF) Plug and Play, a 3GPP-aligned O1 use case that provides a means for service providers to collaborate with equipment vendors to have PNFs discovered by Service Management Orchestration (SMO) via a PNF registration handler, was demonstrated by Nokia, CommScope and Ericsson. Remote SMO functions were also demonstrated with connections to labs in France and Germany.
- Bulk Performance Management Data Collection was demonstrated by Ericsson and Nokia.
- O1 interface functionality for Configuration, Performance, and Fault Management of multi-vendor equipment via a vendor-agnostic SMO was demonstrated by Altiostar, CommScope, and Samsung.
- A1 interface functionality to optimize PCI/RSI for a large-scale RAN simulator using a closed loop automation framework was demonstrated by IBM, Tech Mahindra, Wipro and highstreet technologies.
- Convergence of the Open Fronthaul Management Plane specification with O1 interface was demonstrated by Samsung.
“The O-RAN Alliance has been continuously expanding its influence in the industry since its inception. It is really amazing to see such a symbolic milestone achieved just 10 months since its release of the first specification in MWC Barcelona this year,” said Zhengmao Li, EVP of China Mobile. “The successful holding of the plugfest event globally with deep contribution from over 30 partners represents a consolidated step towards a full disaggregated O-RAN compliant 5G network.”
Dr. Hiroshi Nakamura, EVP and CTO, NTT DOCOMO commented, "We believe wide adoption of O-RAN compliant products will enable more agile, flexible and cost-effective network construction, and welcome the testing and integration efforts of O-RAN standards that are being carried out across the globe. NTT DOCOMO will continue to lead O-RAN Alliance activities and expand its 5G network, and will accelerate the co-creation of 5G services and markets with vertical industry partners."
O-RAN Industry Briefing at MWC 2020
For a comprehensive update on O-RAN activities, including significant developments in Europe, the O-RAN community will come together for the O-RAN Industry Briefing event at MWC Barcelona 2020. Representatives from O-RAN operator and vendor member organizations will discuss and share views on the important steps towards realizing O-RAN compliant commercial solutions. O-RAN Alliance is looking forward to meeting you on Feb 25, 2020, 9:30-10:30 am at the Deutsche Telekom Booth, Hall 3, Booth 3M31.
About O-RAN Alliance
O-RAN Alliance is a world-wide community of more than 130 mobile operators, vendors, and research & academic institutions operating in the Radio Access Network (RAN) industry. As the RAN is an essential part of any mobile network, O-RAN Alliance’s mission is to re-shape the industry towards more intelligent, open, virtualized and fully interoperable mobile networks. The new O-RAN standards will enable a more competitive and vibrant RAN supplier ecosystem with faster innovation to improve user experience. O-RAN-compliant mobile networks will at the same time improve the efficiency of RAN deployments as well as operations by the mobile operators. To achieve this, O-RAN Alliance publishes new RAN specifications, releases open software for the RAN, and supports its members in integration and testing of their implementations.
For more information please visit www.o-ran.org.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191219005289/en/
Contact information
O-RAN Alliance PR Contact
Zbynek Dalecky
pr@o-ran.org
O-RAN Alliance e.V.
Buschkauler Weg 27
53347 Alfter/Germany
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Bermuda Confirmed as a Global Leader in the Fight Against Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation18.1.2020 00:11:00 EET | Press release
Bermuda’s regulatory regime has been assessed by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), and the global inter-governmental Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and confirmed for having some of the highest international standards when it comes to combatting money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation. The mutual evaluation report (MER) of Bermuda’s systems and framework, published today by the CFATF, highlights the outstanding work that has been done to comply with the FATF 40 Recommendations, used by 180 governments to protect the integrity of the international financial system. Of the more than 75 MERs published to date, Bermuda ranks first against the Technical compliance requirements, with 39 of the 40 Recommendations rated as Compliant or Largely Compliant, is in the top six for overall level of effectiveness and one of only two jurisdictions with a high level of effectiveness in relation to its risk assessment and domestic coordination mechanisms. S
Moody’s Analytics Wins an Artificial Intelligence Award17.1.2020 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Moody’s Analytics, a global provider of financial intelligence, has won the Best Financial Services AI Solution category at the 2019 Artificial Intelligence Awards. We won this award for the QUIQspread™ solution, which helps institutions automate the spreading of financial statements. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200117005191/en/ Our extensive financial spreading expertise and data resources are at the heart of the QUIQspread tool, which uses machine learning to understand an institution’s financial data spreading policies. Increased accuracy, shorter processing times, and lower costs are achieved as the tool gets smarter with every spread. As a software-as-a-service platform, QUIQspread is scalable with business growth. It contains data on the financials of more than 22 million private firms, which immediately helps it to improve spreading accuracy. The QUIQspread tool easily integrates with clients’ inter
L&T Technology Services Reports a 10% Increase in Q3FY20 Net Profit17.1.2020 15:36:00 EET | Press release
L&T Technology Services Limited (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS), India’s leading pure-play engineering services company, announced its results for the third quarter ended December 31, 2019. Highlights for Q3FY20 include: USD Revenue at $199 million; growth of 7% YoY Revenue at Rs 14,230 million; growth of 8% YoY EBIT margin at 16.8%; up 30bps YoY Net profit at Rs 2,041 million; growth of 10% YoY During the quarter, LTTS won 9 multi-million dollar deals across all major industry segments which includes 2 deals having TCV of USD30mn+ each. On a YoY basis, LTTS has increased its USD20mn+ clients by 2 and its USD10mn+ clients by 4. “Q3 results were consistent with our expectations. We had a strong performance in three segments - Transportation, Plant Engineering, and Medical Devices that are each growing in excess of 20% on YoY basis. Digital & leading-edge technologies - the growth driver for ER&D, contributed to 41% of Q3 revenues and grew by 29% YoY. We are seeing a new set of opportunities as
Schlumberger Announces Full-Year and Fourth-Quarter 2019 Results17.1.2020 14:50:00 EET | Press release
Schlumberger Limited (NYSE: SLB) today reported results for full-year 2019 and the fourth quarter of 2019. Full-Year Results (Stated in millions, except per share amounts) Twelve Months Ended Change Dec. 31, 2019 Dec. 31, 2018 Year-on-year Revenue $32,917 $32,815 0% Income (loss) before taxes - GAAP basis $(10,418 ) $2,624 n/m Pretax segment operating income* $3,978 $4,187 -5% Pretax segment operating margin* 12.1 % 12.8 % -68 bps Net income (loss) - GAAP basis $(10,137 ) $2,138 n/m Net income, excluding charges & credits* $2,054 $2,261 -9% Diluted EPS (loss per share) - GAAP basis $(7.32 ) $1.53 n/m Diluted EPS, excluding charges and credits* $1.47 $1.62 -9% Full-Year Revenue by Area North America $10,843 11,984 -10% Latin America 4,149 3,745 11% Europe/CIS/Africa 7,683 7,158 7% Middle East & Asia 10,017 9,543 5% Other 225 385 n/m $32,917 $32,815 0% North America revenue $10,843 $11,984 -10% International revenue $21,849 $20,446 7% North America revenue, excluding Cameron $8,525 $9,55
H.I.G. Capital Invests in Luxury Complex Near Venice17.1.2020 14:46:00 EET | Press release
H.I.G. Capital, LLC ("H.I.G."), a leading global private equity investment firm with over $35 billion of equity capital under management, announced today that one of its affiliates has recently completed an investment in Portopiccolo, a state of the art, self-contained luxury complex near Venice which includes 203 high-end residential apartments, a five-star hotel with a spa and 110 marina berths. Terms were not disclosed. H.I.G. continues to add to its sizeable holdings of real estate assets across Europe, consisting of both equity as well as debt investments, with a focus on its target market of value-add small and midcap opportunities. Riccardo Dallolio, Managing Director and Head of H.I.G. Realty Partners Europe, commented: “This marks our 10th real estate investment in Italy. The Italian real estate markets represent a key part of our European value-add strategy and we continue to actively look at opportunities in the small/midcap sector across the capital structure.” Gabriele Mag
Philip Morris International Recognized for Business Excellence in 4th Annual One Planet Awards17.1.2020 14:21:00 EET | Press release
Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM) has been recognized among this year’s most awarded winners in the One Planet Awards program, an initiative acknowledging business and professional excellence in industries around the world. The company earned four awards for its achievements in delivering a smoke-free future from the more than 50 judges, who represent a wide spectrum of global industry experts. PMI received Gold awards in the Achievement of the Year in Diversity and Milestone of the Year categories in recognition of becoming the first multinational company to achieve global EQUAL-SALARY certification; PMI’s president of South & Southeast Asia, Stacey Kennedy, was awarded Gold in the Woman of the Year in Business & the Professions category; and the company earned a Grand Trophy for being among this year’s most-awarded winners. “We are passionate about our work at PMI to achieve a smoke-free future and make better alternatives to cigarettes available for men and women who
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom