1、REPORTEditor:Author:Sponsored by:Dean Ramsay,Principal Analyst,TM ForumIan Kemp,Managing Editor,TM Forummakingwaves:the future for Open RAN technologyJune 2023|inform.tmforum.orgcontentssection 2:the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC)as an enabler of network/IT integrationsection 1:why operators need

2、RAN disruptionthe big picture080503additional features&resources section 3:Open RAN deployments CSPs progress and challenges20142inform.tmforum.orgthe big pictureSo the idea of,and clamor for,standardized RANs started to gain traction.In January 2021 four of Europes largest operators Deutsche Teleko

3、m,Orange,Telefnica and Vodafone Group signed a memorandum of understanding to implement Open RAN across the continent.The move aimed to promote the deployment of Open RAN technologies and ensure that a strong ecosystem of companies emerges in Europe.Open RAN is essentially a disruptive movement with

4、in the telecoms supply chain which aims to create more flexible and interoperable network infrastructures by using open and standardized interfaces between different components of the RAN.It also seeks to bring many of the new IT characteristics becoming prevalent in service and network operations s

5、uch as cloud,open APIs and AI to the RAN.A cloud-native approach lowers the cost of entry for suppliers and opens the door to companies not previously present in the RAN space.With Open RAN,vendors use open and standardized interfaces,such as those developed by the O-RAN Alliance,to enable interoper

6、ability between different components of the RAN,including base stations,radios and control units.This allows operators to choose equipment from multiple vendors,mix and match components,and upgrade or modify their networks more easily.Another organization,the Telecom Infra Project,works to develop s

7、tandard Open RAN solutions to accelerate uptake of the technology.But the introduction of Open RAN will not constitute a direct replacement for existing RAN solutions in the near or medium term.Its real impact will be to stimulate evolution of end-to-end service operations automation.Radio access ne

8、tworks(RANs)are key components of wireless infrastructure,connecting devices such as phones and computers to other parts of the network through radio links.Traditionally,RAN equipment was proprietary,with different vendors using their own interfaces,protocols and software.That left communications se

9、rvice providers(CSPs)feeling they were locked into a single vendor,leading to limited competition in the supply chain and innovation stagnation.3inform.tmforum.org4the big pictureinform.tmforum.orgScale of disruptionWhile there is no doubt that the idea of such standards is making waves in the telec

10、oms market,so far it is a nascent movement.And spending on Open RAN as a proportion of total RAN equipment and services to date is minuscule(see chart).Nevertheless,steady growth is forecast.We estimate the global spend by CSPs on Open RAN this year will be around US$5 billion,and is set to rise to

11、around US$29 billion by 2028,at which point it will represent around 11%of global RAN infrastructure sales annually(see chart).Other analysts forecast even stronger growth:DellOro estimates Open RAN will account for as much as 15%-20%of the RAN market globally by 2027.That would represent the larges

12、t disruption in the global RAN market in recent times.Certainly,operators hope it will rejuvenate the RAN supply chain,which many say has been reduced to an oligopoly.But while such growth figures suggest a sizable portion of market share could be taken away from the leading suppliers of RAN hardwar

13、e and software today,we believe the impact of Open RAN will be tangential.This shake-up can be seen in two parts:Open RAN is catalyzing change in a)the whole RAN market and b)the wider telecoms IT ecosystem.Some major operator groups have been more bullish than others about their Open RAN progress.I

14、n March,speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona,Vodafone UK CTO Scott Petty said that the operators plan to deploy Open RAN at 30%of base stations across Europe by 2030 was running slightly ahead of schedule.He said that in the UK Vodafone had 16 sites live,all reporting very positive KPIs on

15、 operational efficiency and capability,but also on energy saving(see section 3 for a roundup of some of the operators leading the way in Open RAN deployments).Scope of disruptionThis report explores both the immediate disruption being brought about by the adoption of Open RAN,and the effect that thi

16、s trend is having on telco operations in the RAN domain and from a wider transformational perspective.We believe Open RAN is not a panacea for driving 5G technology and other next-generation technologies,but that aspects of its architecture and the changes it is bringing to the supply chain are sign

17、ificant.Read this report to understand:Why the assertions that Open RAN is making waves are justified Why the most significant impact of Open RAN will actually be on the wider operational ecosystem and not just the RAN How leading CSPs are deploying Open RAN and what IT changes they are making in co

18、njunction with this strategy The possible business implications for CSPs driving innovation in their supply chain.In the next section we look at some of the benefits and challenges of moving to Open RAN ecosystems.Worldwide CSP spend with RAN suppliers($billions)TM Forum,2023202220232024202520262027

19、2028300250200150100500Traditional RANOpen RAN5section 1:why operators need RAN disruptioninform.tmforum.orgIn late 2022 and early 2023 we saw 5G Cloud Core networks coming online,but some of the RAN architectures are still just designed to provide fast data pipes for consumer mobile.Open RAN is an a

20、ttempt to disaggregate RAN functionality,by splitting out the hardware and software,opening up the architectures and diversifying the supply chain.This newly created multi-supplier ecosystem uses cloud,network virtualization,AI/machine learning,open APIs and many of the other associated technologies

21、 of 5G/cloud era communications.At the heart of all this is an industry-wide effort to provide some interoperability standards to allow mobile network operators(MNOs)to open the door to new vendor partners,adopt cloud in the RAN and stimulate innovation for new business opportunities by increasing c

22、ompetition.RAN domain technology is a key lever for service model innovation and MNOs are increasingly seeing their partner ecosystems as the source of that innovation,rather than from inside their own organizations.As such,MNOs are experimenting with Open RAN as a potential catalyst for business tr

23、ansformation and diversification.The shine has well and truly worn off 5G as a transformative technology.The telecoms industry has seen four years of non-standalone 5G(5G NSA)consumer mobile services,with 5G RAN connected to the same backhaul,core network and IT stacks as 4G.The promise of standalon

24、e 5G(5G SA)has been perpetually on the horizon,and with it 5G network slicing,multi-access edge computing(MEC),new service models and ultimately so operators and vendors hope a wave of growth and prosperity for the industry.MNOs are increasingly seeing partner ecosystems as the source of innovation,

25、rather than from inside their own organizations.6section 1:why operators need RAN disruptionAs we suggested in the Big Picture,Open RAN is likely to have an impact on the immediate RAN market in general and,to a great extent,on the telecoms ecosystem as a whole.This can be distilled into some broad

26、benefits and challenges.Impact on the immediate RAN domain:Cloud capabilities Hardware and software disaggregation and a multivendor ecosystem of cloud-native applications and network functions becomes fully open and interoperable through open APIs,allowing CSPs to have a more plug-and-play supply c

27、hain experience.Unlocking new wireless service models with the RAN Intelligent Controller(RIC)The RIC increases CSPs chances of successfully monetizing new 5G use cases.Interoperating with 5G Cloud Core Best practice operating models are materializing as 5G Cores begin to come online and CSPs realiz

28、e standalone operations in the core,x-haul and RAN.Read our report 5G Core:exploring CSP approaches to find out more Impact on wider telecoms operations:End-to-end intelligence Connecting service-level intelligence stored in operational and business support systems(OSS/BSS)with network functionality

29、 via end-to-end service orchestration and multi-domain slice management.A greater need for flexibility Open RAN allows for more flexibility in how networks are designed and operated.This could lead to OSS and BSS that are more adaptable and customizable to meet the needs of different network archite

30、ctures.More complex integration Open RAN involves using a variety of vendors and technologies,which could make integrating OSS and BSS more complex.This could require more sophisticated integration work where high levels of standards are not adhered to.Increased competition Open RAN was inherently d

31、esigned to increase market competition by enabling multiple vendors to provide different parts of the network.This may lead to more competition among OSS and BSS vendors as well,as operators seek out solutions that are compatible with their Open RAN deployments.Driving open architectures As Open RAN

32、 networks are based on open standards,there is a greater need for software vendors to develop systems that can integrate with a wider range of network components and provide more flexible management and billing capabilities.This can create opportunities for OSS and BSS vendors that specialize in ope

33、n standards and modular architectures.Real-time data Open RAN can also create challenges for existing OSS/BSS as it may require more real-time analytics,monitoring and management capabilities to support dynamic network optimization and performance management.This can place greater demands on existin

34、g OSS/BSS trying to handle these new requirements.Key capabilitiesAt the same time,next-generation RANs need to deliver some key capabilities in order to meet current and future operator requirements.These include:Supporting existing core business First and foremost,any new RAN technology needs to b

35、e capable of business continuity.This means connecting consumer handsets to base stations to provide 4G and 5G services at a quality of service comparable to existing RAN deployments.Providing service-centric,end-to-end management and orchestration capabilities The trend across OSS and BSS IT system

36、s above the network is to strive towards a plug-and-play,open,multivendor ecosystem capable of full business process automation.Accomplishing this has been a long and arduous journey.But considerable investment is starting to pay dividends,and CSPs want to see this mirrored in the network domains.Ma

37、ximum agility and scalability Any future RAN deployment needs to be characterized by increased flexibility,scalability and innovation,as well as directly focused on meeting the demands of new and emerging applications.MEC-enabled functions The edge is where many new service use cases could come to l

38、ife in the 5G SA era.For example,on the consumer side mobile gaming can move the process function into an edge cloud providing console-like experiences on a handheld device such as a smartphone.inform.tmforum.org7section 1:why operators need RAN disruptionOn the B2B side,industrial IoT applications

39、can automate the factories of the future using 5G-connected robots and sensor arrays over an ultra-low latency,dedicated 5G slice with all of the management carried out at the edge.Inherently optimizing and self-healing Network planning and optimization has traditionally been a separate OSS function

40、 to RAN management,with the exception of some self-organizing network(SON)vendors.Future RAN domain solutions need to have self-organizing,self-optimizing and self-healing protocols native to the management software to perform these tasks in real time in a contextual,intent-aware fashion.The RAN Int

41、elligent Controller(RIC)solves these issues(see section 2).Power consumption optimization One of the early promises of Open RAN was that it will help MNOs with their power consumption.While 5G is less power hungry than 4G per bit,the overall hike in data volumes due to that efficiency results in a n

42、et rise in power consumption (the so-called Jevons Paradox).But in the past couple of years environment,social and governance(ESG)concerns and energy footprints have risen to the top of the must address agenda for most operators worldwide.Read our report The sustainable telco:engineering networks fo

43、r net zero to find out more about operators sustainability strategies In the next section we look at the importance of the RAN Intelligent Controller(RIC),which is key to linking the orchestrated network with the IT stacks above it.inform.tmforum.orgIn the past couple of years environment,social and

44、 governance(ESG)concerns and energy footprints have risen to the top of the must address agenda for most operators worldwide.8section 2:the RIC as an enabler of network/IT integrationinform.tmforum.orgRICs are software-defined components of the Open RAN architecture that are responsible for controll

45、ing and optimizing specific RAN functions.Operators hope they will help them to automate and optimize future services at scale.“The RIC is key because itsa way to automate configuration of the network at a scale which is just impossible to think about if we had to do that manually,”Laurent Leboucher

46、,Group CTO and Senior Vice President,Orange Innovation Networks,told TM Forum last year.The RIC is a critical component of the Open RAN disaggregation strategy,enabling multivendor interoperability,AI-enabled intelligence,agility and SDN-like programmability.The RIC also facilitates the onboarding o

47、f third-party applications that automate and optimize the processes at play in the RAN,at scale.As mobile network operators(MNOs)move into the era of multiple network slice orchestration and new radio transmission technologies such as beamforming from massive multiple input,multiple output(MIMO)ante

48、nnas to improve throughput and capacity of the radio link the number of configurable parameters for 5G networks is set to increase significantly,likely reaching into the thousands.To cope with this complexity many MNOs will opt to rely on the RIC as the underlying platform.Using open APIs,rApps and

49、xApps applications specialized software apps for network automation can be built on top of the RIC,offering automation and optimization use cases and bringing competition to an area of the RAN that has traditionally been proprietary.Talk to many vendors,and you might get the impression that RAN Inte

50、lligent Controllers(RICs)are the answer to operators quest to deliver new revenue streams in often stagnating markets.RICs,they say,promise to help operators reduce infrastructure and operational costs,improve network performance and increase business agility.And they argue that they will help CSPs

51、build new revenue streams with personalized services and network slicing.RICs promise to help reduce infrastructure and operational costs,improve network performance and increase business agility.9section 2:the RIC as an enabler of network/IT integrationinform.tmforum.orgBusiness motivationsA reason

52、able analogy for the RIC,is to think of it as the brain of an Open RAN deployment.A RIC looks at the RAN in an holistic fashion,taking in a contextual view of network elements,connections and functions.It is able to make intelligent decisions which relate to the performance of not just the network a

53、s a whole,but also individual services.This capability is very attractive to CSPs as it furthers their ability to unlock use cases across the whole network such as:Spectrum usage,which tracks demand for optimized media and game streaming Multiple new revenue opportunities in the mobile macro and pri

54、vate networks space through network slicing and geolocation and mass capex savings Less need for unused capacity overhead in the network as availability can more closely track demand Better sustainability in energy consumption through optimal usage.All of these features align with the leaner busines

55、s model that many CSPs are adopting as part of their efforts to both run a tighter ship in terms of costs and also to open the door to new revenues as part of their business diversification strategies.For cost metrics such as energy consumption where savings are now critical for all operators we are

56、 seeing Open RAN deployments reaching parity with traditional integrated RAN solutions.Such costs will be driven down in future generations of Open RAN technology now that the foundations of intelligent measurement and control have been set down.Deutsche Telekom says in its whitepaper on its O-RAN T

57、own project that it is pushing its vendors to focus on this aspect of operational efficiency as part of the selection process:“Optimizing energy efficiency requires end-to-end analysis and benchmarking of the solution stack.New hardware generations will be expected to provide price and performance K

58、PIs on a par with traditional RAN.In addition,new hardware generations will be designed to better serve the needs of a distributed deployment e.g.by supporting operations in environments up to 55C.”Flavors of RICrApps and xApps are specialized software applications for automating network functions a

59、nd maximizing operational efficiency in the RAN.They are an essential part of the RIC,and in combination are proving to be a powerful tool for optimizing the network.An example of this is in power usage,where the combination of rApps and xApps can monitor capacity usage and adjust the power usage of

60、 radio units automatically so they use only the power needed to run services.RIC ArchitectureTM Forum,2023OSS/BSSOpen RAN Distributed Unit(O-DU)Open RAN Central Unit(O-CU)Service Management and Orchestration(SMO)AI/ML ModelsRAN AnalyticsNon-RT RIC FrameworkOpen APIsrAppsCore,x-haul and transport dom

61、ains contextual dataNear-RT RICRAN ControlRAN OptimizationNear-RT RIC FrameworkOpen APIsxAppsOpen APIs10section 2:the RIC as an enabler of network/IT integrationinform.tmforum.orgThe two flavors of RIC are the non-real-time RIC and the near-real-time RIC.The non-real-time RIC(non-RT RIC)is where rAp

62、ps are hosted.It is typically located centrally in the radio access network and enables non-real-time actions that take over one second.Typical use cases such as policy management,configuration,load balancing,cloud management,slice management,anomaly detection,fault prediction and energy saving are

63、built as rApps on the non-RT RIC.The near-real-time RIC(near-RT RIC)is where xApps are hosted.The near-RT RIC is typically in more distributed parts of the RAN,within telco edge cloud or regional clouds,but can be located centrally.It enables actions that take between 10 milliseconds and one second

64、to complete,such as near-real-time dynamic management and resource utilization as part of a self-optimizing strategy.The introduction of service management orchestrators and both non-RT and near-RT RICs,has a catalyzing effect on CSPs initiatives to drive end-to-end service management workflow for m

65、ultivendor environments.OSS/BSS ecosystems will need to enable this automated vision of future operations.For example,when a series of workflows are being actioned by the OSS to activate network resources to fulfill a customer service,having a clear automation path across network management and orch

66、estration is a must for zero-touch operations.Many CSPs have had problems with the interface across the abstraction layer between service and network orchestration.The introduction of Open RAN is driving an imperative to fix this part of the architecture.The two RICs have different functions within

67、the RAN,but are designed to interact to optimally cover all use cases,depending on the workload requirements for specific service orchestration workflows.This approach means that customer experience is optimized and that quality of service(QoS)against a pre-agreed SLA can be ensured.An industry-wide

68、 effort For the RIC model to deliver true value,industry bodies such as the O-RAN Alliance are working to complete the specifications for the interfaces.The E2 interface,which enables communication between the near-RT RIC and the RANs centralized unit(CU)and distributed unit(DU)components,is a key e

69、xample.The goal of a truly open multivendor ecosystem on which application developers can build functions into the xApps,requires an industry-wide collaboration between MNOs,software vendors,standards bodies,systems integrators and so on.This collaboration should also include the established RAN ven

70、dors.For example,when an MNO is providing a customer with a network slice over the 5G RAN:The non-RT RIC is responsible for continuously monitoring slice usage If an SLA violation is detected,the non-RT RIC makes configuration changes and updates the xApp in the near-RT RIC that is responsible for R

71、AN slice assurance The xApp then makes configuration changes to CUs and DUs,then feeds back to the rApps(in the non-RT RIC)to confirm SLAs are now being met.AI/machine learning For real-time optimization strategies at scale,artificial intelligence(AI)and machine learning(ML)will be used to remove hu

72、man decision-making or classical policy-based rules from the optimization process.The non-RT RIC will manage and enhance RAN performance within control loops that extend beyond one second,a responsibility that was previously attributed to the centralized self-organizing network(C-SON)for some of its

73、 functions.In a traditional RAN,significant radio environment data,such as device location,signal strength measurements,as well as knowledge of use cases,are stored for offline analysis.The use of AI/ML tools are growing in importance and will process the data faster in order to aid the non-RT RIC d

74、ecision-making processes.End-to-end operations Innovations supported by RIC technology are having an impact on telecoms IT evolution:The introduction of service management orchestrator and both non-RT and near-RT RICs,have accelerated CSPs initiatives to drive end-to-end service management workflow

75、for multivendor environments.OSS/BSS ecosystems need to be able to meet this automated vision of future operations by evolving in line with an holistic zero-touch operations strategy roadmap.The use of AI/ML in telco operations has been heavily promoted.Near-RT and non-RT RIC functions leverage rApp

76、s and xApps to induce AI/ML-based decision-making.11section 2:the RIC as an enabler of network/IT integrationinform.tmforum.orgThe underlying hardware platform for RIC functions must be optimized for AI/ML-based learning,and AI/ML-enabled OSS are needed to maximize data sharing across open interface

77、s.5G cost structures are now being questioned.Open RAN network standardized architecture allows operators to host the disaggregated baseband unit(BBU)on cloud-native platforms over commercial servers with an open fronthaul interface towards any third-party radios,which opens the door for resource sh

78、aring.Trends like the rise of 5G Mobile Private Networks(MPNs)have the potential to significantly disrupt established country network MNOs in their B2B plans.Open RAN significantly lowers the cost of entry for both telcos and non-telco service providers competing to deliver new wireless enterprise c

79、onnectivity solutions.As many Open RAN deployments are brownfield,there is a need for the IT systems in OSS/BSS to be able to interoperate with both proprietary RANs from traditional suppliers and those provided by vendors in the Open RAN ecosystem.Greater interoperabilityBecause Open RAN promotes t

80、he use of open and standardized interfaces and protocols,allowing different vendors to create interoperable equipment and IT,a componentized architecture such as TM Forums Open Digital Architecture(ODA)can interoperate more easily (see box above and graphic on page 12).Open RAN also encourages the u

81、se of cloud technologies and virtualization,which CSPs are using in their technology strategies to reduce costs and improve flexibility and agility.With Open RAN,operators can broaden and harmonize their strategy for virtualized functions and software-defined networks right into the heart of the RAN

82、.This aligns more tightly with the fundamental shift in the industry towards a more open and standardized operational approach.Integration challenges Integration and interoperability between a much wider group of vendors is a well-documented challenge for Open RAN deployments.Dish Chairman,Charlie E

83、rgen,said during a 2022 earnings call that Dish unexpectedly became a sort of systems integrator for its 5G Open RAN deployment.He said that with multiple vendors there was no single organization to provide the overarching strategy and technical roadmap.TM Forums Open Digital Architecture(ODA)aims t

84、o replace traditional operational and business support systems(OSS/BSS)with a modern,cloud-native approach to building software for the telecoms industry.The goal is to create a software marketplace where CSPs can easily procure Lego-like IT components that can be plugged into their operations envir

85、onments and managed autonomously.This speeds innovation and service creation,improves customer experience and reduces operating costs.Axiata,Jio,Telus and Vodafone have gone through the rigorous process of having their companies certified as“Running on ODA”.A CSP can achieve this status if it has me

86、t the following criteria:ODA is its default reference enterprise architecture It has widespread ODA competence evidenced by ODA training certifications The company is actively contributing to ODA development,driven by real-world operational needs Open APIs are deployed and in operational use Open AP

87、I conformance is mandatory for its suppliers,and ODA competence is expected,evidenced by ODA training certifications.To find out more about ODA please contact George Glass.And read our e-book to find out how to use ODA components for a plug-and-play architecture.Open RAN meets ODA for a standardized

88、 futureOpen RAN significantly lowers the cost of entry for service providers competing to deliver new wireless enterprise connectivity solutions.12section 2:the RIC as an enabler of network/IT integrationinform.tmforum.org“Ultimately,we found that we had to become the system integrator,”he said.“It

89、wasnt a role we thought we were going to take on.But with all the vendors,somebody has got to be the middle man between them and be the glue that holds them together.And we are much more involved in that than maybe we thought we were going to be.”But there is also the matter of integrating Open RAN

90、solutions with the existing network and OSS/BSS to create an advanced end-to-end service operations platform.Development needs to be done in the virtualization layer to host either virtual network function(VNF)or cloud-native network function(CNF)applications needed for Open RAN.For network function

91、s virtualization(NFV)this may mean procurement of an open-source cloud computing platform such as Openstack,hypervisors to run virtual machines and manage VNFs,as well as essential components like CU(centralised unit),DU(distributed unit),and EMS(element management system)functional software.Then af

92、ter the Open RAN rollout the CSP must work towards establishing an operations platform that enables the deployment of cloud-native functions such as vCU(virtual centralized unit)and vDU(virtual distributed unit)and Kubernetes-based container orchestration(control plane)together in a single cloud or

93、server deployment with shared compute,storage and networking resources.While,typically,CSPs are used to the integration of virtualized and traditional network technologies and the challenges of multivendor software environments,Open RAN adds an additional element of complexity because of the central

94、ized and distributed units.Open RAN CUs and DUs can be instantiated in different locations to meet the capacity and use case requirements at each of those locations.Enhancing the overall Integration and interoperability between vendors is a well-documented challenge for Open RAN deployments.BUSINESS

95、GOVERNANCEINFORMATION SYSTEMSDEPLOYMENT&RUNTIMEIMPLEMENTATIONAgile Lifecycle Management Agile Lifecycle ManagementOpen Digital ArchitectureConcepts&PrinciplesDesign GuidesAPI GovernanceAI GovernanceData GovernanceSecurity GovernanceBusiness CapabilityRepositoryProcess Framework(eTOM)FunctionalFramew

96、orkOperationsFrameworksCanvasReferenceImplementationFunctionalArchitectureTechnicalArchitecture&ComponentsOpen APIsData ModelsInformationFramework(SID)Business architecture business capability map&value-stream mappings multi-layered model of the key business(Business Process Framework eTOM)Informati

97、on systems architecture functional architecture(structured,simplified&implementation-independent views enforce decoupling)information architecture with standard definitions for the information that flows through the enterprise&between service providers&their partners(Information Framework SID)Implem

98、entation architecture suite of 70+REST-based Open APIs for standardized interoperability of IT systems&partner integration standardized data model,enhanced for AI operations definition of components for reuse&simple integrationDeployment&runtime environment ODA Canvas a standard technical framework&

99、DevOps environment for plug-and-play ODA components lab-deployed reference implementation and test environmentEnd-to-end&governance principles,design guides,metamodels tools for agile management of the architecture lifecycleODA provides a common reference modelprocesses for efcient,agile operations

100、TM Forum,202213section 2:the RIC as an enabler of network/IT integrationinform.tmforum.orgreliability of the ecosystem is then down to leveraging the containerization of CU and DU,cloud-native network function capacity scaling,redundancy and reduced latency techniques.Integrating this piece into the

101、 overall service operations framework can be significantly more complex from a management and orchestration point of view.Master orchestrationIndustry bodies like the O-RAN Alliance are developing standards for the service management and orchestration component(SMO)of the Open RAN architecture which

102、 interoperate with the prevalent TM Forum Open APIs already in place in many CSPs service operations environments.As such,a master service orchestrator in the RIC could act as a main controller for some RAN functionality from higher up the stack in the OSS.With this system in place,trends like inten

103、t-based operations will be able to instantiate RAN functionality in an automated manner as fulfillment workflows pass down through BSS and OSS.This adds the final piece to the end-to-end management and orchestration strategy that many operators are following today.For the next step in the evolution

104、of the RIC,industry bodies are working on the specifications for the interfaces.Specifically,they are working on the E2 interface,between the near real-time RIC and the RANs centralized unit(CU)and distributed unit(DU)components.This will enable end-to-end operations and also stimulate the multivend

105、or ecosystem over which app developers can build new functions into xApps.In the next section we look at some CSPs that are already deploying Open RAN and,as a result,realizing benefits and identifying challenges.Industry bodies are developing standards for the service management and orchestration c

106、omponent of the Open RAN architecture which interoperate with TM Forum Open APIs already in place in many CSPs service operations environments.14section 3:Open RAN deployments progress and challengesinform.tmforum.orgWhen Open RAN was still in the proof-of-concept phase many of the predicted uses fo

107、r the technology were highlighted by B2B service models,but in live deployments there is also genuine uptake for consumer mobile broadband services.With Open RAN still relatively nascent,the number of Open RAN-enabled base stations is still a tiny percentage of the global total,but the pioneering MN

108、Os trialing the technology are being watched closely.The creation of a much wider installed base of Open RAN deployments will certainly be heavily influenced by MNOs use of the technology to serve their 4G and 5G consumer customers.If it is deemed reliable enough for mass deployment by the pioneerin

109、g MNOs,the wider CSP community will almost certainly follow suit.In terms of the impact we are seeing on the wider IT ecosystem for MNOs currently deploying Open RAN,the network integration piece is still being negotiated,with the main considerations being efficiency and reliability.We then expect t

110、o see the focus shift up the IT stack into service management and orchestration capabilities,and links between existing OSS/BSS strategies and the RAN service management and orchestration(SMO)framework and the RIC.At this point it will be possible for operators to start thinking about the service mo

111、del innovation they hope to drive.Beyond the MNOs,groups of non-telco service providers are scoping the use of Open RAN on a much smaller scale,usually in private network settings.Usage here is often very connectivity-centric,exploiting the low-cost entry point that Open RAN affords to build small-s

112、cale mobile networks for enterprises such as in factories,on campus sites,in public buildings and so on.In the first instance,we expect to see these run like LAN deployments,but use cases such as airports and sports stadiums will require more complex functions in the RIC to deliver customer services

113、.Worldwide,approximately 150 mobile network operators(MNOs)are running tests of Open RAN in labs or proof-of-concept trials.In addition,several operators have already deployed Open RAN in their live networks and are following a base station build-out strategy.In this section we look at some of those

114、 deployments and examine the effect that Open RAN is having on their wider operational structures.In live Open RAN deployments there is genuine uptake for consumer mobile broadband services.15section 3:Open RAN deployments progress and challengesFollowing are selected examples of some of the key MNO

115、 Open RAN deployments to date.Vodafone announced its first wave of Open RAN vendors in 2021.The move was seen as a clear endorsement for Open RAN from a tech-centric and progressive operator group.Vodafones initial focus is on 2,500 sites in the UK,and the operator says it currently has 16 sites liv

116、e in total,predominantly in rural areas.This makes it one of the largest deployments in the world,with Dell,Intel,NEC,Samsung and Wind River working on the infrastructure and IT and a variety of new radio equipment coming into use.Capgemini Engineering and Keysight Technologies are providing systems

117、 integration services to ensure interoperability between all the components.In May,Vodafone announced what it says is the first commercial urban deployment of Open RAN in Europe in the UK towns of Exmouth and Torquay,providing customers with download speeds of up to 700 Mbps thanks in large part to

118、massive MIMO technology.“From improved internet speeds to greater access to 5G,we can already see the benefits for customers in these towns,”said Alberto Ripepi,Vodafone Group Chief Network Officer.Vodafone says it is committed to deploying Open RAN on 30%of its mobile sites across its European netw

119、ork by 2030.It recently began Open RAN trials in Germany,its largest European market.Vodafone cites the key benefits of Open RAN as:Vendor diversity:The disaggregation of network hardware and software components lowers the barrier to entry for new suppliers,enabling Vodafone to add greater resilienc

120、e to its supply chain by working with a greater number,and more diverse pool,of suppliers.Opportunity for niche/specialist suppliers:Bringing down the barriers to entry allows Vodafone to work with more specialist suppliers.This is particularly relevant in the software domain,because as the network

121、becomes more“intelligent”it has to be supported by best-in-breed solutions.Energy efficiency gains:Instead of looking at the bigger RAN picture,breaking down the different components through Open RAN allows companies to focus more acutely on energy efficiency programmes in specific areas.Focus on so

122、ftware operations:By ensuring any software and hardware components of the network are vendor agnostic and interoperable,upgrades to orchestration,management and automation software do not necessarily mean hardware components have to be replaced.inform.tmforum.orgSelects key vendors.Starts what will

123、be the first commercial deployment in Europe2021Mobile World Congress.Commits to deploying Open RAN on 30%of mobile sites across its European network by 20302022UK government rules that operators must remove Huawei equipment from their networks by the end of 2027.Vodafone starts to scope an alternat

124、ive strategy for 5GInitial scope announced.Vodafone says its initial focus is on 2,500 sites in the UK2020SME and MPN support.Announces Open RAN-compatible 5G network-in-a-box solutionSpeed record for consumer users:Claims 5G Open RAN data download rates of up to 700 Mbps in live UK network2023Vodaf

125、ones Open RAN timeline16section 3:Open RAN deployments progress and challengesSantiago Tenorio,Vodafone Fellow and Director of Network Architecture,and Chairman of the Telecom Infra Project(TIP),spoke to Telecom TV earlier this year about the operators progress and upcoming request for quotation pro

126、cess for Open RAN equipment in 2024.“Once you get Open RAN into urban areas,and once you integrate massive MIMO into the system and you can demonstrate that it performs well,thats an important milestone for proving the maturity of the system,”he said.The operator earlier this year also announced an

127、Open RAN-compatible“5G network-in-a-box”solution,with the aim of making 5G-based mobile private networks(MPNs)more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs)across Europe.It can run any 5G core software stack and RAN software sized for a small network deployment.This development speaks t

128、o Vodafones wide commitment to Open RAN in the wake of its replacement of Huawei equipment in its network(see timeline on p.15).Addressing SME and MPN use cases with small cell deployment capabilities that can be harmonized with its Open RAN-compliant x-haul and 5G Core network configurations,shows

129、the operator is invested in the technology and associated architectures for its network rollout strategy.In terms of the impact of Open RAN on Vodafones wider IT strategy,the company has been working on a platform business approach for several years.At the heart of this is an end-to-end orchestratio

130、n plan to enable IT automation,sitting over the top of a series of interlinked programmable network domains.Open RAN is a component of this overarching strategy and provides software-defined networking(SDN)functionality out to the network edge and mobile endpoints.Japanese mobile operator Rakuten Mo

131、bile launched the worlds first fully virtualized cloud-native mobile network using Open RAN technology in 2020.The company has since been seen as an industry focal point for greenfield,cloud-native operations,a vision of what can be done in telco operations without the issues of legacy technology.Ra

132、kutens radio access strategy was informed by its need to build an ecosystem of suppliers in the Japanese market to drive innovation and cost benefits.Read our 2020 report Rakuten Mobile:no ordinary telco to find out more about its origins and pioneering use of cloud-native and Open RAN technology:in

133、form.tmforum.orginform.tmforum.orgSponsors:Author:Mark Newman,Chief Analyst Editor:Dawn Bushaus,Managing Editor June 2020 Rakuten Mobiles network now has around 60,000 macro base stations,12,000 5G base stations,and a large but unspecified number of small cells deployed,providing 98%population cover

134、age in the Japanese market.All of this is managed by a team of just 220 network operations personnel,a signifier of how cloud-native network operations are far less labor intensive than running traditional telco networks.As a greenfield deployment,Rakuten Mobile provides little indication to the res

135、t of the industry as to the best practices for deployment in brownfield scenarios.However,operators like Rakuten and Dish Wireless are driving the evolution of Open RAN software and promoting some innovation in the base station equipment space.Rakuten recently opened an Open RAN“customer experience

136、center”in the UK to facilitate interoperability testing and other advancements.The center enables operators and industry suppliers from Europe and the Middle East to test Open RAN advancements,which can support safe,open and transparent 5G networks.Dish Wireless,the mobile business of US-based satel

137、lite television provider Dish Network,is currently rolling out its 5G network using Open RAN technology,including standalone 5G(5G SA)with the capability to provide network slicing.The company has partnered with multiple vendors to develop a cloud-native RAN architecture that is the largest commerci

138、al Open RAN deployment in North America.Dish is on track to cover about 70%of the US population around 230 million people with its network by mid 2023,inform.tmforum.orgOperators like Rakuten and Dish Wireless are driving the evolution of Open RAN software and promoting some innovation in the base s

139、tation equipment space.17section 3:Open RAN deployments progress and challengesas required by regulator the FCC.It is currently deploying about 1,000 sites every month and is set to have around 20,000 macro sites in operation by the end of the year.The companys mid-term requirement is to reach 75%of

140、 the population in each of its separate license areas by June 2025.The US government has set aside$1.5 billion in an initiative called the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund to help promote the evolution of Open RAN in a move to drive more home-grown US RAN suppliers.Dish has suggested tha

141、t this fund is used to support the development of two key areas of Open RAN evolution:security and systems integration.Indeed,Dish has set out the challenges it has faced with systems integration.In a recent response to the US government National Telecommunications and Information Agencys request fo

142、r comment on the Innovation Fund,it said:“Dish has had to become its own system integrator,investing substantial time and resources working with vendors to facilitate reliable end-to-end interoperability and to ensure that technology is optimized for use on Dishs spectrum.This was a challenge and it

143、 provided Dish and its partners with valuable experience.Dish managed dozens of partners to create a 5G network ecosystem and develop a technology roadmap to ease the adoption of Open RAN,including by validating new solutions and releases into Dishs 5G technology stack.”Once again that points to the

144、 need for highly interoperable,componentized architectures for MNOs that are following Open RAN strategies.And it requires easy integration and reuse of those components such as is made possible using TM Forums Open Digital Architecture(ODA)to improve the chances of running lean operations and devel

145、oping better margins when introducing new service lines.In terms of energy savings,Dishs Chief Network Officer,Marc Rouanne,has revealed the operators strategy for greater RIC development from the third quarter of this year.The focus in the first instance will be aimed at energy saving in the RAN.Fo

146、r example,Rouanne believes that xApps will allow Dish to power down its network during quiet periods.“We can switch off the physical resource blocks and decrease power consumption during the night,”he said during a keynote speech at the Big 5G Event covered by Light Reading.“All this can be managed

147、through software.”Read our report Dish Wireless:next-generation telco to find out more about the operators strategy in rolling out its cloud-native,standalone 5G network.In August 2021,1&1 selected Rakuten to help build a virtualized Open RAN 5G network and become Germanys fourth mobile operator.At

148、the time we reported that Rakuten would be responsible for building 1&1s active network equipment and the overall performance of its mobile network.In addition,1&1 gained access to the Rakuten Communications Platform(RCP)stack of access,core,cloud and operations capabilities,and Rakutens orchestrati

149、on software to automate much of its network operations.1&1 is now in the process of building out its nationwide,fully virtualised 5G network.In doing so,it will become the first European operator to commit to building a complete Open RAN-based network.1&1 has set goals of building 1,200 cell sites b

150、y the end of 2023 and serving at least a quarter of the German population by 2025,and 50%by 2030.After delays last year,1&1 switched on part of its new 5G network in January.In November 2021 the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure said it will invest 300 million euros over sever

151、al years to support companies in the development and testing of Open RAN in Germany.That included an Open RAN lab consortium led by Deutsche Telekom and including Telefnica Germany;and setting up two Open RAN cities,one led by Vodafone and another by Deutsche Telekom.The announcement suggested the G

152、erman government is betting on technologies such as Open RAN 5G having a positive impact on the countrys abilities as an industrial and technology nation.inform.tmforum.org1&1 will become the first European operator to commit to building a complete Open RAN-based network.18section 3:Open RAN deploym

153、ents progress and challengesOpen RAN makes sense in industrial settings,as the radio environment can require mixed macro and small cell deployments to overcome RF propagation issues on-site and challenges around electromagnetic interference.But while having an ecosystem of specialist suppliers to ad

154、dress these challenges seems like a great idea on paper,the real test for Open RAN will be in the integration and interoperability of the IT and data.Oranges strategy for Open RAN has been one of the most advanced in terms of brownfield operators.The MNO is looking at standalone 5G(5G SA)deployments

155、 with massive MIMO antennas to support its enterprise customers with network slicing and large improvements in throughput and spectral efficiency.In February 2023,Orange signed an agreement with Vodafone to build an Open RAN network with RAN sharing in rural parts of Europe where they both have mobi

156、le networks,starting in Romania.Michal Trabbia,Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Orange,said:“Open RAN is a great opportunity to take network sharing to a whole new dimension,with even higher operator differentiation thanks to the ability for each of the partners to tune its network more in

157、dependently according to its promises towards its own customers.”This is the first time that two companies have agreed to share Open RAN networks in Europe.The move is indicative of European operators need to run lean operations for 5G SA,and suggests that for the first time network infrastructure s

158、haring is being entered into more liberally in competitive markets.In November 2021,Orange opened an Open RAN integration center for companies to test and validate their Open RAN products and services.“We want to accelerate the development of an open,intelligent,cloud-based RAN and create a rich Ope

159、n RAN ecosystem in Europe,”said Trabbia at the time.“From 2025 onwards,our ambition is to deploy only Open RAN equipment across Europe.”From an IT perspective,Orange needs to support its end-to-end ambitions for network slicing with a service operations IT set-up which enables full automation down t

160、hrough BSS/OSS and network management.This will enable it to monetize new service models and drive customer service ambitions.Deutsche Telekom earlier this year announced that it will partner with Nokia and Fujitsu for an initial commercial Open RAN deployment in Germany.Customers in the Neubrandenb

161、urg area will receive 2G,4G and 5G services from the deployment in the operators brownfield network.In addition,Mavenir has been chosen as a partner for an initial multi-vendor deployment in Deutsche Telekoms European footprint starting in 2023.“Open RAN has matured over the last months in both stab

162、ility and performance,which has given us the confidence for an initial commercial deployment,”said Abdu Mudesir,Deutsche Telekom Group CTO.“Together with Nokia,Mavenir and other ecosystem partners,we will use our collaboration as the springboard to accelerate Open RAN development and create a path t

163、o deployment at scale.”Nokia will deliver the baseband units for the sites at Neubrandenburg,with Nokia and Fujitsu providing open fronthaul support and equipment and Open RAN-compliant remote radio units.Mavenir will provide cloud-native baseband software for the 4G and 5G distributed units for fur

164、ther deployments in the operators European footprint.inform.tmforum.orgOpen RAN has matured over the last months in both stability and performance,which has given us the confidence for an initial commercial deployment.”Abdu Mudesir,Deutsche TelekomOpen RAN is a great opportunity to take network shar

165、ing to a whole new dimension,with even higher operator differentiation.”Michal Trabbia,Orange19section 3:Open RAN deployments progress and challengesMalaysian operator Axiata has carried out Open RAN trials in Indonesia and Sri Lanka as well as its home market,with mixed results.Axiata hoped to find

166、 a cost-efficient way to extend its 2G and 4G rural coverage,but experienced multiple deployment challenges.The companys conclusion was that Open RAN does not offer a commercially viable alternative to combined 2G/4G legacy network equipment.Among the difficulties Axiata encountered was the integrat

167、ion of Open RAN with legacy networks.“Its an automation issue,its an integration issue,its an interoperability issue,its a labor capability issue,”explained Thomas Hundt,Group Chief Strategy&Technology Officer,speaking at DTW Asia 2023.As things stand,“we do not yet see Open RAN being as commerciall

168、y competitive as it needsto be to replace legacy vendors.”Nonetheless,the company has not given up on Open RAN and is evaluating a single-layer 4G fixed wireless access use case in Sri Lanka.It is also weighing up the use of Open RAN for 5G overlay,including for private networks.“Thats one of the se

169、cond use cases we are working on,and we have entered into a few deals already with Rakuten,”said Hundt.But he stressed that the disaggregated nature of Open RAN means its deployment requires skills that a typical telco does not possess in-house.“The integration is complex.And without automation at l

170、arge,you will not be able to make this work,”he said.For this reason,Axiata Digital Labs is developing capabilities to support Open RAN deployment,including an automation engine,so that in the longer term Axiata can scale up Open RAN across the six markets in which it operates.Hundt also noted that

171、Open RAN needs further standardization:“If the telcos have to integrate the radios.and there is no designed compatibility,the effort to interoperate is going through the roof and thats challenging.”Nor does he believe Open RAN can currently support a carrier-grade service.“We probably had 70%or 80%o

172、f carrier grade service,but we are serving real customers,”he said.“We cannot let them down because wehave a 20%gap to close.”Indian operator Airtel intends to include Open RAN in its 5G rollout before the end of 2023.In December 2022,Airtel signed an agreement with Meta to jointly develop digital n

173、etwork infrastructure.Both companies are members of the Telecom Infra Project Open RAN Project Group,and part of the aim is to increase the operational efficiency of Open RAN and facilitate energy management and automation in radio networks using advanced analytics and AI/machine learning models.Air

174、tel has carried out trials for 4G and 5G Open RAN solutions on select sites in the Indian state of Haryana.Latest reports suggest the operator has chosen Mavenir to help deploy 4G and 5G Open RAN at 2,500 sites in rural parts of India,expanding later to 10,000 sites nationwide.inform.tmforum.orgWe d

175、o not yet see Open RAN being as commercially competitive as it needsto be to replace legacy vendors.”Thomas Hundt,Axiata21|vRAN to O-RAN:an E2E automation and monetization path27|TM Forum Open Digital Framework28|TM Forum research reports29|Meet the Research&Media team20inform.tmforum.orgadditional

176、features&resourcesvRAN to O-RAN:an E2E automation and monetization path21inform.tmforum.orgSPONSORED FEATUREIntroOpen RAN is becoming an increasingly hot topic in our industry due to its potential for vendor diversity,cost savings,flexibility,interoperability and security.Indeed,with its ability to

177、expand cloud-native principles beyond the 5G core,Open RAN offers every network/mobile operator the ability to make their network more flexible,innovative,reliable,optimized and capable of fulfilling stringent requirements.In this paper,we address the development of Radio Access Networks(RAN),with a

178、 specific emphasis on vRAN as an intermediate stage towards this end goal.It also includes our vision of the benefits and challenges of adopting Open RAN and its associated components such as Service Management&Orchestration(SMO)and Radio Intelligent Controllers(RIC).A“tactical”approachRAN domain di

179、saggregation aims to provide mobile service providers with a variety of advantages.While cost reduction is certainly one of these,recent market studies reveal that the two primary drivers are optimized operational efficiency and facilitate an automated RAN transition.In the short term,vRAN technolog

180、y,which relies on only a limited pool of vendors,seems to be the most popular option for achieving these objectives.vRAN and Open RAN disaggregate RAN domain hardware into virtualized or containerized vDU and vCU.The O-RAN alliance encourages a multi-vendor best-of-breed solution for Open RAN,althou

181、gh operators may reduce complexity by disaggregating RAN components with a few vendors utilizing vRAN.This lets them progressively incorporate additional suppliers and go to Open RAN with less risk and maximum benefits.To enable this evolution,vRAN architecture must adopt cloud-native principles,hav

182、e pre-integrated service blueprints,allow vDU/vCU network functions to be interoperable with third-party radio unit vendors,and provide openness and simplicity for SMO/RIC function layer integration.Key roles of cloud native and TMF in RAN disaggregationOperators have traditionally leveraged both vi

183、rtualization and cloud-native network functions to disaggregate their technology silos.To support this,cloud-native network functions across service domains(e.g.RAN,transport,5G core,and extended domains like edge clouds)provide a consistent structure and framework for portability,manageability,obse

184、rvability,orchestration and configuration management especially with Kubernetes,Ansible,Prometheus,and so on.The Cloud Native Computing Foundation supports this industry consensus(CNCF).The TM Forum,CNCF and other standards bodies have all contributed to the telecommunications sector by offering a c

185、omplete set of APIs,apps,tools and frameworks to facilitate vendor and industry cooperation.Yet TM forum APIs stand out in their comprehensive variety of options for operators to integrate progressively with these APIs to fulfil their financial and operational objectives.These include service qualif

186、ication,ordering,catalog and inventory management,activation,configuration and more.Amdocs OSS-integrated SMO and RIC components:easing the Open RAN journeyTo begin vRAN-based domain disaggregation,operators can start with a single or small number of cloud native-based vendors.Such an approach suppo

187、rts the objective of making the RAN more open and programmable by enabling optimization of RAN resources that are crucial for 5G Advanced and future 6G technologies.Both Service Orchestration&Management(SMO)and RAN Intelligent Controller are defined by the O-RAN alliance to respectively automate,man

188、age and optimize RAN domain resources,with the SMO framework managing all RAN disaggregated network functions(vDU,vCU),including RIC functionsYet to truly realize the potential of RIC,operators will require open APIs and interfaces.To understand this better,lets first explain the two examples of RIC

189、 specified by the O-RAN Alliance:non-real-time RIC(Non-RT)and the near-real-time RIC(Nr-RT).Most consider RIC as being a more refined evolution of Self Organizing Networks(SON).Within RIC,Non-RT RIC is seen as superior to both the centralized version(C-SON)and the distributed approach of Nr-RT RIC(D

190、-SON).This means that Non-RT RIC is considered the most refined evolution of SON.22inform.tmforum.orgSPONSORED FEATUREFig.1:CNCFs Cloud-Native ecosystem23inform.tmforum.orgSPONSORED FEATUREFig.2:Amdocs Intelligent Networking Suite for End-to-End Service/Network orchestration Fig.3:Amdocs Open RAN Au

191、tomation(ORA)24inform.tmforum.orgSPONSORED FEATUREBy supporting this latter approach,Amdocs Open RAN SMO delivers the following benefits:Gradual introduction of RIC instances for open innovation Development/co-development of rApps/xApps for typical SON use cases such as Massive MIMO Beam Management

192、or Coverage,Capacity Optimization(CCO)and End-user energy efficiency contrasting average energy consumption KPIs Ability to deploy xAPPs and rAPPs to enable AI/ML edge-based automation Dramatic improvements of spectral efficiency for improved revenues Ability to develop private network capabilities

193、such as mobile private networks,network slicing awareness,network slice subnet observability Timeliness RAN automation adjustments for advanced E2E use cases(e.g.mobile private networks,network slicing)Amdocs Open RAN SMO forms part of an end-to-end service and network orchestration system that leve

194、rages Amdocs industry experience to improve service experience and scalability.The function pushes applications and network services to the edge closer to end-users and distributes service intelligence to lower layer domain-based orchestrators for faster decision-making processes.By working alongsid

195、e edge orchestrators that leverage Kubernetes and Nephio capabilities,Amdocs Open RAN SMO enables E2E network services/slices to transcend service realms from CSPs to hyperscalers.Collaborative opportunities for CSPs/MNOs and MVNOsTo realize the potential of 5G to transform the MNO business,it will

196、require significant investments in radio,xHaul,5G core and cloud infrastructure.Yet even as MNOs continue their transition from 5G Non-Standalone(NSA)to Standalone(SA),the challenge of monetizing 5G technology will remain.To address these challenges,MNOs are exploring new collaborative opportunities

197、,such as asset sharing,enabled by the automation and optimization capabilities of 5G technology.For example,Multi-Operator Radio Access Network(MORAN)and Multi-Operator Cores Network(MOCN)are both solutions that enable MNOs to share resources and collaborate more effectively with MVNOs.Importantly,w

198、hile RAN assets can be shared,the same does not hold true for SMO and RIC.Rather,these technologies enable operators to manage their shared resources independently and facilitate both radio allocation optimization,as well as the configuration of either the QCI parameters for each user session or RAN

199、 network slice subnets.Fig.4:Service across realms leveraging vRAN/O-RAN25inform.tmforum.orgSPONSORED FEATURESimplifying distributed network operations with SMO/RIC at the edgeThe increased ubiquity of cloud-native,Open RAN,and 5G will create a need for faster software updates and testing,adding com

200、plexity as stringent requirements such as low latency,jitter,availability and scalability need to be addressed.At the same time,as networks become more distributed and move network apps/functions closer to end-users(edge)with disaggregated RAN(vRAN or Open RAN)and 5G core services,the need for softw

201、are configuration,testing and validation will increase significantly.These are areas where O-RAN alliances SMO will play a crucial role in the provisioning and lifecycle management of Open RAN service and its components by instantiating,monitoring,upgrading and reconfiguring the RAN service componen

202、ts(vDU,vCU,xApp,rAPP,and other applications).Yet to accomplish the required end-to-end workflow automation,it will demand a standardized interface between SMO,continuous deployment and continuous testing(CD/CT).With a view to addressing this need,Amdocs recently authored a whitepaper on behalf of th

203、e Telecom Infra Project(TIP),discussing Open RAN orchestration and lifecycle management automation for multi-vendor interworking,focusing on ROMA architecture.It utilizes the ETSI NFV paradigm as a starting point,and extends it to include VNF and CNF orchestration.The figure below illustrates one al

204、ternative setting for the CD/CT platform in relation to SMO,where it may be seen as either part of or adjacent to an OSS platform.The whitepaper also addresses the difference between the various vendor agile procedures that prioritize minimized time to market,while maintaining current design,deploym

205、ent,testing,and operation methods.It also proposes three alternative deployment options to improve the CD/CT operations of vRAN and Open RAN.ConclusionRAN disaggregation offers significant benefits for operators as the ecosystem matures,allowing them to begin with a restricted set of vRAN capabiliti

206、es leveraging a single vendor or a small number of vendors,and gradually move towards a multi-vendor Open RAN environment.Yet to fully realize the benefits of Open RAN,operators should choose a vendor-neutral and innovative partner with proven expertise in the communications industry.The right partn

207、er should challenge RANs exclusivity and the network status quo,provide end-to-end automation,and embrace open architectures via a cloud-native approach and open solution stacks.Ultimately,choosing a partner with such capabilities will be critical to maximizing the benefits of Open RAN,gaining opera

208、tional efficiencies and meeting the ever-increasing demands of end-users.Fig.5:ROMA architecture26inform.tmforum.orgSPONSORED FEATUREAbout AmdocsAmdocs helps those who build the future to make it amazing.With our market-leading portfolio of software products and services,we unlock our customers inno

209、vative potential,empowering them to provide next-generation communication and media experiences for both the individual end user and enterprise customers.Our 31,000 employees around the globe are here to accelerate service providers migration to the cloud,enable them to differentiate in the 5G era,a

210、nd digitalize and automate their operations.Listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market,Amdocs had revenue of$4.6 billions in FY22.For more information,visit Amdocs at 27A blueprint for intelligent operations fit for the 5G eraThe TM Forum Open Digital Framework(ODF)provides a migration path from lega

211、cy IT systems and processes to modular,cloud native software orchestrated using AI.The framework comprises tools,code,knowledge and standards(machine-readable assets,not just documents).It is delivering business value for TM Forum members today,accelerating concept-to-cash,eliminating IT&network cos

212、ts,and enhancing digital customer experience.Developed by TM Forum member organizations through our Collaboration Community and Catalyst proofs of concept,building on TM Forums established standards,the Open Digital Framework is being used by leading service providers and software companies worldwid

213、e.The framework comprises TM Forums Open Digital Architecture(ODA),together with tools,models and data that guide the transformation to ODA from legacy IT systems and operations.Open Digital Architecture Architecture framework,common language and design principles Open APIs exposing business service

214、s Standardized software components Reference implementation and test environmentTransformation Tools Guides to navigate digital transformation Tools to support the migration from legacy architecture to ODAMaturity Tools&Data Maturity models and readiness checks to baseline digital capabilities Data

215、for benchmarking progress and training AIGoals of the Open Digital FrameworkThe aim is to transform business agility(accelerating concept-to-cash from 18 months to 18 days),enable simpler IT solutions that are easier and cheaper to deploy,integrate and upgrade,and to establish a standardized softwar

216、e model and market which benefits all parties(service providers,their suppliers and systems integrators).Learn more about member collaborationIf you would like to learn more about the Open Digital Framework,or how to get involved in the TM Forum Collaboration Community,please contact George Glass.tm

217、 forum open digital frameworkinform.tmforum.org28inform.tmforum.orgtm forum research reportsknowledgeREPORTdataSPONSORED BY:governancethe growingimportance ofAuthor:Charlotte Patrick,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Managing Editor December 2021 inform.tmforum.orgknowledgeREPORTverticalsplaci

218、ng theright betsSPONSORED BY:enterpriseAuthor:Dean Ramsay,Principal AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor December 2021 inform.tmforum.orgknowledgeREPORTlessonslearnedon the journeyto cloud nativeAuthor:Mark Newman,Chief AnalystEditors:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing EditorIan Kemp,Managing EditorOctober

219、 2021 inform.tmforum.orgSPONSORED BYimprovingAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor January 2022 inform.tmforum.orgBENCHMARKSPONSORED BY:SUPPORTED BY:Authors:Mark Newman,Chief Analyst Dean Ramsay,Principal AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorMay 2022 inform.tmforum.

220、orgAuthors:Mark Newman,Chief AnalystDean Ramsay,Principal AnalystDawn Bushaus,Contributing AnalystEd Finegold,Contributing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor January 2022 inform.tmforum.orgNovember 2021|www.tmforum.orgnext generationthe Telefnica wayAuthor:Mark Newman,Chief Analyst,TM ForumEdito

221、r:Annie Turner,Contributing Analystsponsored by:with the support of:March 2022|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing EditorREPORT COVERCALL TO ACTIONAuthors and editors:xxxxxxknowledgeREPORTSponsored by:for integrationsetting new standardsDIGITAL ECOS

222、YSTEMSImage used on tileReport CoverKey WordsBridging boundaries with common standardsWorking together Handing over common standards to each otherLogistics chainsCooperationJune 2022|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Dr.Mark H.Mortensen,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing EditorDIGITAL ECOSYSTE

223、MS setting new standards for integrationsponsored by:August 2022|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editorsponsored by:REPORTSponsored by:Author:Annie TurnerEditor:Dawn BushausISBN:978-1-955998-27-7can telcos the into the future:August 2022|www.tmf

224、orum.orgAuthors:Annie Turner,Contributing AnalystDean Ramsay,Principal AnalystEditors:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor Dawn Bushaus,Contributing EditorEd Finegold,Contributing Analyst,TM ForumIan Kemp,Managing Editor,TM ForumAnnie Turner,Contributing Analyst,TM ForumEditors:Author:Sponsored by:September 202

225、2|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystEditors:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorAnnie Turner,Contributing Editorsponsored by:Ed Finegold,Contributing Analyst,TM ForumIan Kemp,Managing Editor,TM ForumAnnie Turner,Contributing Analyst,TM ForumEditors:Author:Sponsored by:REPORTAuthors:Sponsored

226、 by:Dean Ramsay(Principal Analyst)Editor:Ian KempISBN:000 from toautonomous networks:August 2022|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Dean Ramsay,Principal AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editorsponsored by:October 2022|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Rahul Gupta,Senior AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editorsponsored by:mai

227、nframemodernization:charting a course to cloud nativecharting a course to cloud nativeREPORTAuthor:Sponsored by:Rahul Gupta,Senior AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor,TM Forummainframemodernization:February 2022|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Dean Ramsay,Principal AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editorspo

228、nsored by:next generationCEMnow!February 2022|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Dr.Mark H.Mortensen,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editorsponsored by:October 2022|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Teresa Cottam,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editorsponsored by:from transformation

229、DIGITAL OPERATIONS MATURITY:achieving business valueBENCHMARKAuthors:Mark Newman,Chief Analyst,TM ForumDawn Bushaus,Contributing Analyst,TM ForumJoanne Taafe,Editor in Chief,InformEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor,TM ForumSponsored by:a roadmap fortelecomsgrowthTM Forum|March 2023Asia-PacificREPORTAut

230、hor:Sponsored by:Teresa Cottam,Contributing AnalystDawn Bushaus,Contributing Editorcounterusing AI to improve customer experienceintelligenceREPORTAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystDawn Bushaus,Contributing EditorTM Forum|May 2023who does what and can CSPs compete for more?partner ecosystems:RE

231、PORTAuthors:Mark Newman,Chief Analyst,TM ForumDawn Bushaus,Contributing Analyst,TM ForumSponsored by:Editor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor,TM Forumestablishing links:platform models in the Open API economy March 2023REPORTSponsored by:Author:Editor:ISBN:at the edge:taking opportunities beyond connectivity

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236、ndeveldetmforum.orgDigital Media Coordinator:Maureen Adongmadongtmforum.orgCommercial Manager:Tim Edwardstedwardstmforum.orginform.tmforum.orgChief Analyst:Mark Newmanmnewmantmforum.orgSponsor Success Manager:Maryssa Ramseymramseytmforum.orgMarketing Manager:Ritika Bhatejarbhatejatmforum.orgHead of Operations:Ali Grovesagrovestmforum.orgReport Author:Dean RamsayPractice Leaddramsaytmforum.orgEditor in Chief,Inform:Joanne Taaffejtaaffetmforum.orgto learn more about TM Forums work beyond connectivity,please contact Joann OBrien