Partner Showcase: Telefónica Open RAN Ecosystem Collaboration

Presenters: Michael Clegg, VP & GM 5G, Embedded/IoT, Supermicro Javier Lorca, OpenRAN and New Radio Solutions Manager, GCTIO, Telefónica OpenRAN is an initiative to build next-gen RAN solutions based on a general-purpose vendor-neutral hardware and software architecture. Telefónica has been a front-runner in driving the OpenRAN initiative. Ahead of planned OpenRAN trials later this year in Brazil, Germany, Spain, and the UK, telecoms giant Telefónica is collaborating with several ecosystem vendors, including Supermicro and Intel, to develop disaggregated radio access network solutions. The group is working from a set of specifications developed by the O-RAN Alliance. The overarching goal is to open up radio interfaces to allow operators to take their pick of best-in-breed solutions, thereby shifting network economics and fostering collaborative innovation. As part of this trial, Telefónica has been working with Supermicro on a range of telco solutions, including those geared toward Edge computing and O-RAN distributed units (DUs). In this talk, Telefónica will share its vision and the benefits of OpenRAN, and the ongoing collaborative work with Supermicro to make it a reality.