Vodafone Idea running commercial pilot of Open RAN 5G with Mavenir ahead of planned rollout

The pilot deployment marks the first O-RAN-compliant deployment into Vodafone Idea’s network

Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) said that its Open RAN network is currently carrying live commercial data traffic ahead of a planned large-scale deployment of its 5G network.

The cash-strapped telco is working with United States-based telecom gear maker Mavenir for this commercial phase of Open RAN network pilot deployment, which started in September 2023.

The pilot deployment, which covers key launch sites, marks the first O-RAN-compliant deployment into Vodafone Idea’s network, utilising the N78 and N258 millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum bands and B1 supporting NSA architecture.

Jagbir Singh, Chief Technical Officer of Vodafone Idea, said that the Open RAN deployment, delivered through Mavenir’s innovation and joint technological strategic initiatives, is in sync with the telco’s technology transformation roadmap and vendor ecosystem.

“Working in partnership with the solution of Mavenir, we see a major role ahead for Open RAN technology in delivering the network-enhanced capabilities, better TCO, and open interfaces that will push the industry forward in new ways,” he said.

Mavenir said it is providing a complete, end-to-end cloud-native Open RAN system for Vodafone Idea incorporating a Distributed Unit (DU) solution based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and scalable and modular OpenBeam Radios, Centralized Unit (CU) plus full Mavenir Remote Radio Unit (RRU) and RAN software capabilities all running on Red Hat OpenShift, which is a hybrid cloud application platform powered by Kubernetes.

BG Kumar, President of Access Networks, Platforms, and Digital Enablement at Mavenir, said that the vendor is actively engaged in building out the ecosystem that will deliver next-generation Open RAN technology platforms enhancing customer experience across India besides driving down CapEx and OpEx for operators.”

Jagbir Singh, Chief Technical Officer of Vodafone Idea, said that the Open RAN deployment, delivered through Mavenir’s innovation and joint technological strategic initiatives, is in sync with the telco’s technology transformation roadmap and vendor ecosystem.

Akshaya Moondra, CEO of Vodafone Idea Limited, on January 29, said the telco was engaged with various parties for fundraising to make the required investments for network expansion, including 5G rollout.

Notably, the cash-strapped company recently failed to get funding from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to deploy OpenRAN and related technologies for the 5G network, the telecom department has said in an internal telecom department report.

Analysts said that the telco needs funding infusion to build cost-effective Open RAN-based 5G networks which can alleviate some percent of CAPEX and OPEX theoretically and act as a leverage point to increase its bargaining power against the traditional, more expensive equipment vendors.

Vodafone Idea will consider fundraising at a board meeting on February 27, the Aditya Birla Group telecom company said in an exchange notification.

The company said that the board will "consider and evaluate any and all proposals for raising of funds in one or more tranches by way of a rights issue, further public offer, private placement including preferential allotment, qualified institutions placement or through any other permissible mode and/or combination thereof as may be considered appropriate, by way of issue of equity shares or by way of issue of any instruments or securities including securities convertible into equity shares, Global Depository Receipts, American Depository Receipts or bonds including foreign currency convertible bonds, convertible debentures, warrants, and/or non-convertible debentures including non-convertible debentures along with warrants, which may or may not be listed.”