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Docomo To Deploy 4G/5G Multi-Vendor RAN Based On O-RAN Specifications

NTT Docomo, in partnership with Fujitsu, NEC and Nokia, has achieved multi-vendor interoperability across 4G and 5G base station equipment compatible with the international standards of the Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) Alliance. The O-RAN standards include fronthaul specifications and X2 profile specifications. Docomo claims this is the world’s first realization of this level of multi-vendor interoperability in 4G and 5G base station equipment conforming to O-RAN specifications. Docomo will deploy the equipment in the pre-commercial 5G service it plans to launch on 20 September in Japan.

According to Docomo, the ability to deploy and interconnect base station equipment from different vendors will make it possible to select the equipment most suitable for deployment in any given environment, such as base stations offering broad coverage in rural areas or small base stations that can be deployed in urban areas where space is limited. This is expected to alow more rapid expansion of 5G coverage.

Concurrent with the pre-commercial launch of its 5G services, Docomo plans to expand 5G coverage by combining 5G networks with existing 4G networks using equipment from various vendors.

In the 4G and 5G base station equipment being deployed in Docomo’s pre-commercial 5G service, O-RAN fronthaul specifications are used to establish the connections between centralized units hosting baseband processing and remote units hosting radio processing in 5G remote-installed base stations. O-RAN X2 profile specifications are used to establish the connection between 4G base stations and 5G base station centralized units.

With remote-installed base stations, centralization of the baseband processing is expected to bring iimproved communication quality through coordination of multiple remote units; pooling of resources through the aggregation of hardware; as well as minimization of equipment footprint, leading to a reduction in space and costs. In addition, through the provision of only radio processing, the remote unit can be further downsized, making it possible to install in a variety of locations that would previously have not been viable, such as small buildings or mountainous areas.―Telecompaper

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