5G Revolution: RANsemi and ACES Drive Open RAN Innovation in Saudi Arabia

RANsemi , a British wireless semiconductor innovator specialising in 5G Open RAN baseband technologies, today announced that it is collaborating with ACES , a leading Saudi Arabian neutral host operator, in a strategic Open RAN partnership. The partnership, endorsed and funded by the Saudi Arabian National Technology Development Programme (NTDP) under the umbrella of the Saudi Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), aims to advance 5G Open RAN and small cell technologies and innovations nationwide.

The partnership between ACES and RANsemi is developing a class-leading 5G Open RAN neutral host small cell system. The project has brought together the unique strengths of both companies, leveraging RANsemi’s 5G baseband expertise and ACES’ in-house RF design capabilities.

The NTDP and MCIT seek to transform the Kingdom into a leader in the information technology field by promoting sustainable development and innovation. This is being achieved by supporting and enabling national companies to expand their global presence, adopt advanced technologies, and foster international partnerships to achieve their technological goals.

We are delighted to partner with RANsemi on this pivotal project that has the potential to transform Open RAN neutral host and private network adoption in Saudi Arabia and beyond. With the esteemed endorsement of the NTDP, and expertly guided by MCIT, we are confident in our ability to drive innovation and make significant advances in 5G Open RAN and small cells deployments in collaboration with our global partner, RANsemi. This partnership has been a key factor in our achievements.

– Dr Akram Aburas, Group CEO, ACES

ACES’ vision aligns perfectly with our goals at RANsemi to deliver class-leading Open RAN products to market – we are thrilled to be working in collaboration. This partnership is a prime example of our efforts to partner effectively to realise the full potential of our joint technologies in successfully addressing real-world challenges. We’ve been working with ACES behind the scenes for some time, and we are pleased that we can now publicly bring this 5G Open RAN project to fruition.

– Peter Claydon, CEO, RANsemi

The NTDP has expressed its support for this initiative, recognising its potential to contribute significantly to national interests in innovation and technological growth. The project is already underway, with both companies actively committed to ensuring its success. RANsemi and ACES will jointly demonstrate the prototype system at the Small Cells World Summit (SCWS) in London, 3-4 June 2025.