KDDI, Samsung, and Fujitsu claim to have the world’s first 5G standalone open radio access network (RAN) site up and running.

The site, which transmits live traffic on the Japanese carrier’s existing 5G core, combines Samsung’s virtualized distributed unit (vDU) and virtualized central unit (vCU) with Fujitsu's massive MIMO radios in Kawasaki, Japan.

The feat involves the use of Samsung’s virtualized RAN (vRAN) software that is also open RAN compliant running on commercial off-the-shelf servers, Samsung’s baseband, and Fujitsu radios connected via open interfaces, KDDI explained.

The operator said it plans to deploy open RAN in other parts of the country following this framework. “Beginning with this site, KDDI and Samsung will continue to deploy open RAN in other parts of Japan. Both companies are considering nationwide deployments but we are unable to disclose the number of sites at this time,” Satoshi Iwao, VP and head of Samsung Networks, wrote in response to questions.

He also emphasized that this single 5G open RAN site is not a trial or proof of concept, but rather an effort to “kick off commercial deployment in Japan.”

Samsung’s blended mix of vRAN equipment and software that also support open RAN for operators that choose to go that route has helped earn it some early wins. The company released its first 5G vRAN portfolio in early 2021 following its blockbuster RAN agreement with Verizon, which was the first operator to commercially deploy the new equipment. 

Samsung also gained a foothold in Vodafone’s plan to deploy 2,500 open RAN sites in the southwest of England and most of Wales.

Samsung’s vision with respect to the unique and complementary aspects of vRAN and open RAN demonstrate the potential of next-generation mobile services with massive MIMO radios, Iwao said.

“Open RAN technology uses open, interoperable interfaces within and around the RAN, while vRAN employs a virtualized software architecture where dedicated hardware in the baseband unit is replaced by flexible software implementations running on commercial off-the-shelf hardware,” he explained.

“There can be an open RAN that is not virtual and a vRAN that is not open,” Iwao added. “While vRAN takes a software-centric approach, where hardware is disaggregated from software, open RAN is based on the interoperability of RAN elements, using open interfaces between a baseband unit and radios, supporting a multi-vendor environment.” 

Samsung’s open RAN compliant 5G vRAN hardware and software were previously deployed in commercial networks in Japan and Britain. What’s different this time around with KDDI is the 5G standalone core component.

That’s singularly unique for a 5G open RAN site, but 5G cores also remain incredibly rare globally. Only 19 5G standalone networks were deployed as of last month, according to Dave Bolan, research director at Dell’Oro Group. 

KDDI claims its 5G standalone core equips it to deliver network slicing, multi-access edge computing, faster speeds, and lower latency. The operator declined to share details about its future open RAN plans but suggests the feat in Kawasaki will accelerate the deployment of open RAN throughout the country, including rural areas.