ET Explains: All about vRAN and what it means for Vi
Vodafone Idea (Vi), which is set to embark on a mega expansion plan for 4G network and roll out 5G services, has completed trials using Samsung's virtualised RAN (vRAN) technology. Experts say the technology is expected to bring substantial cost savings to the telco as compared to legacy hardware infrastructure.
ET explains what vRAN is, the type of network optimisation it can bring and what it means for Vi's vendor ecosystem.
What is vRAN?
To understand this, one needs to know what RAN is. A radio access network (RAN) is a component of a telecom network’s distribution layer which acts as a connection point between wireless devices and the operator’s core network. These are typically powered through fiber or wireless backhaul and entail significant capital as well as operational expenditures.
Traditional RAN suppliers include Finland’s Nokia and Sweden’s Ericsson, besides China’s Huawei. However, vRAN could partially eliminate the need of deploying hardware as it completely runs baseband functions as software.
«vRAN is the ability to run the RAN stack as a software on commonly available hardware, rather than purpose-built hardware,» said Kunal Bajaj, founder and CEO of network-as-a-service provider company CloudExtel. «It also allows for centralisation of some processing functions to local nodes, and therefore requires less server or processor capacity at sites.
What are its advantages?
The most important benefit of virtualising RAN is that it makes telecom networks more flexible, said Parag Kar, a veteran
