Ericsson and Telefónica Partner to Advance Cloud RAN Adoption for Open Networks

Ericsson and Telefónica S.A. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the adoption towards an increasingly open network built upon Ericsson’s Cloud RAN architecture.

Telefónica and Ericsson will also explore how to deploy Cloud RAN sites with a high degree of automation, adopting approaches in line with best practice in cloud ecosystems. This includes leveraging rApps in RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) and service management and orchestration (SMO) architecture to enhance radio access network (RAN) solutions.

We are excited to join forces with Ericsson. This collaboration brings together the best of both organizations, enabling us to leverage the latest advancements in virtualization and cloud technologies. The network’s transition to software-based operations and the evolution to open and disaggregated network architectures will increase flexibility, enable new network architectures and models, and boost innovation.

Enrique Blanco, CTIO, Telefónica Global

Ericsson Cloud RAN offers major opportunities for communications service providers to build macro networks as well as expand into enterprise applications.

This collaboration with Telefónica aims to accelerate the development and deployment of cloud-native open networks. This will enable an open ecosystem of innovation and the way we think about the value of networks, by exposing new capabilities through standardized APIs. The latest development in O-RAN Alliance allows us to build high performance networks on Open RAN standards, at scale.

Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks, Ericsson

Ericsson Cloud RAN is based on an open, standardized architecture for worldwide connectivity and is fully compatible with the deployed Ericsson Radio System portfolio, which will help service providers to evolve their networks into their architecture of choice.

Recently, Telefónica was in the spotlight with stc group‘s strategic investment for a 9.9% Stake for SAR 8.5 Billion (EUR 2.1 Billion).