Telecom Italia laid is one of the first operators in Europe and the only one in its domestic market to deploy open RAN in its mobile network, teaming with vendor JMA Wireless. The company explained the initiative was covered by an memorandum of understanding it signed with other European heavyweights to promote open RAN, adding it will use the launch to deploy new consumer and business services on its commercial network.
The operator targets faster deployment of 5G, cloud and edge computing capabilities by using open RAN. The approach forms part of Telecom Italia’s Beyond Connnectivity strategy, which aims to tap the potential of cloud and AI in its mobile network. Telecom Italia follows Vodafone UK, which deployed a live open RAN site in August 2020 as part of a goal to equip at least 2,600 sites by 2027.
The first city in Italy to adopt this open network model is Faenza where, through collaboration with JMA Wireless, TIM will use a solution that decouples the components of the radio access network, according to a supplier diversification logic and with a view to fostering a broader industrial ecosystem. In this case the radio node on the 4G network has been built by combining JMA’s software baseband with the radio units provided by Microelectronics Technology. Going forward, this venture will also extend to 5G solutions.
Nokia and SURF, the organization for IT in Dutch education and research, have successfully reached a single carrier 800Gb/s optical transmission over SURF’s existing cross-border, multi-vendor research and education network infrastructure.
Nokia and Vodafone are collaborating to test the viability of L4S technology over passive optical networks (PON).
The GSMA believes that critical reform of European laws is necessary to position the region as a technology frontrunner by 2030.
