Mavenir & Vodafone are partners, creating an indoor small cell solution for business customers using OpenRAN technology.
Vodafone and Mavenir have entered into a partnership. To provide indoor 4G connectivity to corporate customers, they are working on a small cell solution based on OpenRAN technology.
The plug-and-play small cell equipment, designed for business clients who occupy medium to large office spaces, can provide extensive mobile coverage in every part of the company. Initially, the solution will provide 4G coverage.
The design of the indoor small cell solution is based on the OpenRAN philosophy of interoperability. In this case, Mavenir (Open vRAN) will provide the software, while Sercomm will provide the radio hardware. The small cell solution’s design and adaptability ensure that it will work with other OpenRAN-compliant vendors.
For commercial clients, a powerful indoor small cell solution can provide various benefits. Because of the easy plug-and-play setup, coverage can be set up quickly, allowing for seamless connectivity across all devices in the office.
The OpenRAN ecosystem’s interoperability sets the path for long-term flexibility in working with a wider range of manufacturers for aspects such as radio units, baseband hardware, and gateways.
Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer, Vodafone UK, said: “So far, OpenRAN deployment has focused on outdoor connectivity, but there is significant potential for this technology in the office environment. A simple plug-and-play product, which includes all the attractive benefits of the OpenRAN philosophy, is one that can build on our strength of providing indoor coverage through both our macro network and our bespoke solutions.”
Virtyt Koshi, SVP Mavenir EMEA, said: “Mavenir is delighted to partner with Vodafone in Open RAN and to work in the UK on their radio network transformation initiative, proving the extreme flexibility of Open vRAN. We are particularly proud in working in the field within the Vodafone commercial network and in the Newbury Open RAN Test and Verification lab, supporting the Vodafone effort to boost the ecosystem.”
The development of an indoor small cell solution is the next stage of a long-standing relationship between Vodafone and Mavenir. It is expected that Vodafone and Mavenir will continue this partnership to deploy more OpenRAN sites in the future.