Etisalat to deliver first Open RAN implementation in Central Asia
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Etisalat partners with Parallel Wireless, Intel, and Supermicro in deploying the world’s first cloud-native Open RAN solutions in Afghanistan — the first Open RAN implementation in Central Asia.
Hatem Bamatraf, Chief Technology Officer-International, Etisalat Group, said: “The combination of Open RAN, virtualization, and automation will enable Etisalat to meet the needs of our customers most cost-effectively in Central Asia. Being able to use an Open RAN system will help us not only extend our initial investment but also bring new services much faster. Parallel Wireless together with Intel and Supermicro have become true strategic partners and key enablers in undertaking this Open RAN implementation.”
Mobile network operators in Central Asia are facing strong pressure to evolve their businesses and operations to drive profitability. Addressing these challenges requires industry innovation focused on reducing traditional hardware-defined 2G, 3G, or 4G networks that require expensive and bulky equipment to deploy, operate or upgrade.
Open RAN solutions are now ready for prime time as Parallel Wireless leads with innovation in Open RAN, including the world’s first network architecture that unifies all mobile connectivity standards – 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G– under the same software and cloud-native umbrella.
In Afghanistan, the Open RAN radio hardware ecosystem of Parallel Wireless shall provide Remote Radio Units (RRUs) that will allow Etisalat to replace legacy 2G/3G/4G systems with white box solutions that can be upgraded to 5G in the future.
Amrit Heer, Director of Sales, Parallel Wireless, said, “We believe it is the ideal time to align and collaborate to solve the key challenges to deliver innovative RAN solutions that are ready for commercial deployment. Implementing our world’s leading O-RAN compliant software platform will allow Etisalat to enable new services to be deployed quickly, seamlessly, and more reliably.”
Etisalat’s strategic goal is to build and grow wireless networks to provide next-generation digital services to its customers in the region. Working in collaboration with Parallel Wireless, Intel, and Supermicro, this can be achieved by assembling viable solutions that build on an open and modular architecture; improving service agility through cloudification; and reducing operational costs across geographically distributed sites with automation.
Jeff Sharpe, Director Edge/5G Solutions, Supermicro, commented on this collaboration: “We are pleased to be working with Etisalat, Parallel Wireless, and Intel to enable an open ecosystem of disaggregated RAN solutions using vendor-neutral RAN hardware and software-defined technology based on open interfaces and community-developed standards.”
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific country in Central Asia will be the first to implement Open RAN technology through this partnership?
Which specific country in Central Asia will be the first to implement Open RAN technology through this partnership?
Etisalat, in partnership with Parallel Wireless, Intel, and Supermicro, will deploy the world's first cloud-native Open RAN solutions in Afghanistan. This is the first Open RAN implementation in Central Asia.
Q.What primary benefits does Etisalat expect to gain from using an Open RAN system in Central Asia?
What primary benefits does Etisalat expect to gain from using an Open RAN system in Central Asia?
Etisalat anticipates that Open RAN, combined with virtualization and automation, will enable them to meet customer needs more cost-effectively. It will also help extend initial investments and bring new services to customers much faster.
Q.What is the key challenge Open RAN solutions aim to address for mobile network operators in Central Asia?
What is the key challenge Open RAN solutions aim to address for mobile network operators in Central Asia?
Open RAN solutions aim to address the strong pressure on operators to evolve their businesses and drive profitability. They do this by reducing reliance on expensive and bulky traditional hardware-defined 2G, 3G, or 4G networks.
Q.How will the Remote Radio Units (RRUs) provided by Parallel Wireless assist Etisalat in Afghanistan?
How will the Remote Radio Units (RRUs) provided by Parallel Wireless assist Etisalat in Afghanistan?
The Remote Radio Units from Parallel Wireless will allow Etisalat to replace their existing 2G/3G/4G systems. These new white box solutions are also designed to be upgradeable to 5G in the future.