Nokia and Vodafone trial Open RAN with Arm and HPE

Nokia and Vodafone today announced the successful completion of a trial, leveraging Nokia’s anyRAN approach in collaboration with partners Arm and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). The live demonstration, held at Nokia’s Open RAN Innovation Center in Dallas, Texas, showcased the completion of an end-to-end Layer 3 (L3) data call.

To achieve this milestone, the test platform utilized leading technologies including Ampere® Arm-based general-purpose processors, the HPE ProLiant RL300 server, Nokia’s Layer 1 (L1) accelerator, and Nokia’s RAN software. To complement the 5G Standalone (SA) RAN architecture, Nokia integrated its 5G SA Compact Mobility Unit (CMU) Core.

The trial took place over-the-air with Nokia’s AirScale massive MIMO radios on the n78 spectrum band (3.5 GHz band). Additionally, Nokia’s intelligent MantaRay NM network management system provided a consolidated network view for improved monitoring and management.

During the demonstration, the data calls were successfully conducted using commercial user devices. The trial shows that the introduction of Arm Neoverse™-based processors on HPE servers within the Nokia anyRAN approach will provide operators, including Vodafone, with enhanced supplier diversity and efficiency advantages of the latest silicon technology.

Francisco Martin, Head of Open RAN at Vodafone, said: “Vodafone is dedicated to supporting the development and adoption of Open RAN platforms by fostering a diverse ecosystem of silicon solutions. The approach offers numerous benefits, including increased choice, enhanced energy efficiency, higher network capacity, and improved performance in wireless networks. We are excited to collaborate with Nokia, Arm, and HPE in this live demonstration, and the initial results have been promising, paving the way for future commercialization.”

Mark Atkinson, Head of RAN at Nokia, said: “Achieving future computing evolution requires a flexible approach to RAN deployments, allowing freedom of choice in server hardware, general-purpose processors and cloud platforms. This trial not only builds upon past accomplishments but also solidifies Nokia’s leadership in Open RAN innovation. It is another testament to the openness of Nokia’s anyRAN approach, ensuring consistent performance of Open RAN while empowering operators with more options to build their networks.”

CT Bureau