MWC 2024: Dell Foresees Surge in Open RAN Adoption Spurred by AI Boom

Dell Technologies foresees a significant surge in the adoption of Open Radio Access Networks (RAN) sparked by the burgeoning growth of generative artificial intelligence (AI).

Manish Singh, the chief technology officer of Dell's telecom systems business, emphasized the transformative potential of AI in accelerating the Open RAN movement during an interview at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.

Singh noted that while Open RAN adoption had been slower initially, the industry now stands at a tipping point, poised for rapid expansion. "I think we are now at this tipping point," the exec told Nikkei Asia.

Open RAN Initiatives

RAN, a vital component of telecommunication networks, traditionally saw limited options with major equipment providers like Huawei, Ericsson, and Nokia dominating the market.

However, the Open RAN initiative aims to revolutionize this landscape by establishing common standards for base stations, thereby enabling interoperability among various vendors.

But what are the benefits of Open RAN? An open environment broadens the ecosystem, and as more vendors provide the building blocks, there is more space for innovation and options for operators.

Singh highlighted the symbiotic relationship between Open RAN and AI, both heavily reliant on cloud infrastructure, suggesting that the growing demand for AI would drive the adoption of Open RAN.

Pushing for Open RAN

The United States has emerged as a vocal advocate for Open RAN, seeking to reduce the dominance of Chinese tech giant Huawei in network infrastructure.

To this end, Dell, along with its competitors such as HPE, and tech manufacturers like Foxconn, Quanta Computer, and Pegatron, has dedicated resources to bolstering their Open RAN businesses.

However, external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions like the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and inflation have slowed the adoption of 5G and Open RAN in recent years.

AT&T Open RAN

In a significant development, AT&T, the largest American telecom operator, recently announced a five-year, $14 billion deal with Ericsson to support its nationwide Open RAN ambitions.

Additionally, during MWC, AT&T and Dell unveiled a partnership wherein the server maker would assist in the telco's Open RAN deployment. This collaboration underscores Dell's commitment to the telecom industry, evident in its establishment of the telecom systems business over three years ago.

Dell's initiative to focus on Open RAN reflects a broader industry trend towards making networks more "cloud native," a shift that Singh emphasized as technologically straightforward but operationally challenging.

With major operators like AT&T and Vodafone embracing Open RAN, Singh expressed optimism that it would encourage other operators to join the movement. This sentiment aligns with the overarching goal of Open RAN, which seeks to ensure seamless interoperability among diverse hardware and software components in cellular networks.

In a parallel development at MWC, NOW Telecom Company, Inc. and Rakuten Symphony signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a 5G Open RAN Pilot Deployment in the Philippines.

This collaboration underscores the global momentum behind Open RAN adoption, highlighting its potential to democratize network infrastructure and drive innovation in the telecommunications industry.

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