Mobile Magazine May 2021 | Page 89

5G NETWORKS

Now , SONIC hopes to find a solution to this problem , and then to the problems that this solution has the potential to create . “ The development of open , disaggregated and software-centric networks such as OpenRAN has the potential to bring in many more products and vendors , increasing the rate of innovation , as they are now required to only provide a small part of the overall solution ,” Butler continues . “ However , this vision leads to more complexity , and a greater requirement for integration and interoperability , and SONIC has been developed to address these challenges for vendors and operators of all sizes .”

As well as Digital Catapult and Ofcom , SONIC is assembling some of the world ’ s leading network technology companies with a vested interest in seeing OpenRAN succeed . In March , SONIC announced that it had brought eight OpenRAN leaders on board , including Benetel , Accelleran , Phluido , Effnet , Mavenir , Foxconn , NEC and Radisys .

“ The initial goal here is to undertake labbased testing on the OpenRAN solutions of different partners in relation to exactly how they interact with one another . The project will go live in late May 2021 , with work focused on identifying and then ironing out any interoperability issues that might arise ,” O ’ Connor explains . Benetel is contributing the OpenRAN radio units to the project , which will be tested for their potential to integrate with products supplied by the program ’ s other participants at SONIC ’ s lab in London . O ’ Connor adds that , even with all the participants ’ goals squarely aligned , and the massive pool of talent they ’ ve assembled , the process isn ’ t likely to be an easy one . “ Though each vendor will have made their solution compatible with the latest OpenRAN specification , that

JOE BUTLER CTO , DIGITAL CATAPULT mobile-magazine . com 89