Samsung Becomes Open RAN Supplier for Vodafone

Vodafone has selected Samsung to deploy a large-scale open RAN across multiple European countries. This gets Samsung a broader deal after being left out of a recent contract award for the group’s UK-based unit network build-out.

The South Korean vendor noted it will deliver its virtualised RAN (vRAN) and open RAN equipment, with support across 2G, 4G, and 5G, as well as O-RAN-compliant radios. The vendor argued that vRAN serves as an optimal foundation for AI, enabling operators to seamlessly integrate AI capabilities into their networks. The upgraded radios and software capabilities improve energy efficiency and performance, and support RAN sharing, Samsung said.

Last month, VodafoneThree awarded eight-year contracts, valued at more than £2 billion, to Ericsson and Nokia to build out the newly formed UK operator’s mobile network, with Samsung not included in the 5G deployment. Vodafone Group head of open RAN Paco Martin said last November it was in the process of finalizing its open RAN tender, stating at the time the technology is already commercial and delivering for the company.