SynaXG has announced a partnership with Red Hat and Orex Sai, demonstrating one of the industry’s earliest implementations of unified cloud-native platform AI-augmented RAN (AI-RAN).

The deployment was part of the so-called Aura project, where the Singapore-based radio access network (RAN) company claimed a significant milestone in the evolution toward AI-native, 6G-ready networks.

According to SynaXG, its demonstration showed how operators can boost RAN performance, enable AI-powered edge use cases, and open up new digital services using network APIs. The step also reinforces the role of AI-RAN as a commercial pathway for operators looking to reduce cost, improve resource and energy efficiency.

The platform runs 5G RAN workloads across both FR1 (Frequency Range 1, which covers sub-6 GHz frequency bands) and FR2 (Frequency Range 2, otherwise known as mmWave), as well as advanced AI workloads on shared commercial hardware.

As part of the project, SynaXG used its complete AI-RAN software stack, including Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 microservices on Red Hat’s single cloud-native platform for both network and IT workloads – OpenShift.

Alongside the 5G frequency ranges (FRs) the platform simultaneously ran 5G FR1/FR2 workloads, AI pipelines, large model inference, and AI-for-RAN functions such as energy savings, interference cancellation, and link optimization. The approach demonstrated the efficiency and commercial readiness of a unified software-defined architecture for 5G today and AI-native networks in the future, according to the companies.

“SynaXG’s work on project Aura shows the industry what is now possible when AI and RAN are brought together on a unified platform,” said Mantosh Malhotra, chief business officer of SynaXG.

“This catalyst moves AI-RAN beyond theory. It proves that operators can deploy and scale AI-driven RAN capabilities while simultaneously monetizing edge intelligence. We are pleased to collaborate with Red Hat, network equipment providers (NEPs), and leading operators to demonstrate the next phase of network transformation.”

SynaXG first announced the readiness of its AI-RAN platform, unifying 5G FR1, 5G FR2, and AI in December last year.

The operator aimed to solve the issue of RAN and AI workloads running on separate servers with no unified orchestration, which increases CapEx and OpEx for organizations, making it hard to launch AI-based services at scale.

International interest in AI-enabled services

SynaXG said this latest demonstration has attracted strong interest from operators across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, which are considering AI-RAN architectures to improve spectral efficiency and accelerate the introduction of AI-enabled services.

The AI-powered RAN provider is currently working with ecosystem partners to advance Project Aura from proof-of-concept to commercial deployment, so operators and hyperscalers can integrate AI and edge intelligence into their existing 5G infrastructure.

“Project Aura demonstrates how AI-RAN can move from concept to real-world implementation,” said Sadayuki Abeta, CTO of Orex Sai, a joint open RAN venture between NTT Docomo and NEC.

“The project plans to use open network APIs, such as TM Forum-compliant APIs and CAMARA APIs, to integrate OSS/BSS with edge AI applications. Examples include video analytics, drone control, and location-based services. This approach will help operators deliver value beyond being just connectivity providers.”