What Open RAN means?

The main purpose of open RAN is to have an interoperability standard for RAN elements including non-proprietary white box hardware and software from different vendors . Network operators that opt for RAN elements with standard interfaces can avoid being stuck with one vendor’s proprietary hardware and software.

Today, RAN architecture divides the user plane and the control plane into separate elements . The RAN controller can exchange one set of user data messages through a software-defined networking switch and a second set through a control-based interface.

Open RAN Is the disaggregation of hardware and software: the RRU / RRH hardware becomes a GPP-based or COTS hardware that can be purchased from any ODM, OEM or RAN hardware vendor. The BBU is the same as in the case of vRAN: COTS server + vendor’s proprietary software with virtualized functions .

Open RAN is a push for industry standards in the design of gear that’s used in the radio-access segment of telecom cellular networks and is particularly relevant to the buildout of 5G infrastructure.