Vodafone Idea is expanding Open RAN based deployments in India with Mavenir.
The operator’s OpenRAN has been deployed on multiple cell sites and has carried commercial traffic since December 2019. The deployment used Mavenir’s Open RAN solutions for 4G, which provide dis-aggregated solutions using CoTS equipment and new Radio partners.
Vodafone Idea is committed to OpenRAN and will extend the deployment of TDD and Ma-MIMO sites in other cities this year. The operator has carried out India’s largest Ma-MIMO deployment, substantially enhancing capacities in key markets.
“Vodafone Idea is building a robust, future ready 4G+ network with latest technology deployments. After having successfully disaggregated the stack of our key core network elements, disaggregating the RAN is a natural next step for us. We are happy to partner Mavenir for this initiative, which has a potential to not only reduce costs but also create exciting new capabilities customised to our business requirements,” said Vishant Vora, Chief Technology Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited.
“Vodafone Idea is at the forefront of technology and innovation, looking to utilise and deploy the most versatile and effective solutions,” said Pardeep Kohli, Mavenir’s President and CEO. “Mavenir’s OpenRAN software has been developed to meet the most stringent operator requirements for a fully loaded site, including VIL’s requirements for availability, network KPIs for enhanced customer experience including throughput and handovers across technologies.”
Vodafone Idea has been engaged with best in class partners within the OpenRAN space to develop a robust solution catering to the traffic requirements of Indian networks and build a 4G+ network by advancing deployment of 5G technologies in the operator’s 4G network.
OpenRAN refers to disaggregated RAN functionality built using open interface specifications between elements. It can be implemented in vendor-neutral hardware and software-defined technology based on open interfaces and community-developed standards.
