NTT DoCoMo and SK Telecom teamed to detail what they believe needs to be addressed in order to fully leverage virtual radio access network (vRAN) and AI-RAN.

Joint white papers published by the pair suggest that to fully realize next-generation RAN networks, carriers should leverage resource pooling and orchestration technologies to unlock AI computing capabilities.

The carriers also called for firms to apply an XPU-led approach – whereby specialized processing units (XPUs), like Intel’s Meteor Lake line or chips built on Broadcom’s 3.5D XDSiP design – rather than standard graphics processing units (GPUs). The pair argues that employing XPUs would enable carriers deploying vRAN or AI-RAN with “an integrated AI platform capable of delivering both mobile communication connectivity and AI services.”

NTT DoCoMo and SK Telecom also noted content chip lines should be “functionally” separate from RAN software and instead deployed independently from the underlying infrastructure. Such an approach, the pair argue, would accelerate “software-driven innovation.”

“Such strict separation of hardware and software is identified as a critical factor in the advancement of vRAN and AI-RAN,” the pair contend.

Takki Yu, head of SK Telecom’s network technology office, said the pair hope their white paper will “serve as a catalyst for fostering the broader ecosystem and contribute to the global advancement of next-generation mobile networks.”

“This white paper is a meaningful achievement as it presents, from a mobile operator's perspective, the key features essential for maximizing the benefits of vRAN adoption and for the future evolution toward AI-native networks,” Yu added.

Like many carriers, NTT DoCoMo has sought to test the waters of AI-RAN and vRAN.

The firm enlisted Nokia last November, tapping its autonomous MantaRay SON (self-organizing networks) solution in its multivendor LTE and 5G open RAN deployment.

SK Telecom, meanwhile, is a member of the AI RAN Alliance, and teamed with Supermicro at the recent Mobile World Congress event as the OEM debuted new AI-RAN-optimized server lines.