Today’s forward-looking mobile network operators (MNOs) are working to leverage the flexibility and agility of IT infrastructure in their networks to reduce operating costs. Many MNOs found operational benefits using technologies such as Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) in their core networks and now want to apply these learnings to 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) deployments. Samsung continues to partner with MNOs around the world to develop the network virtualized functions that will help them efficiently deploy and manage complex, high-density RAN infrastructure.
Samsung’s vRAN success can be traced back to May 2017, the time of many customer-focused milestones. Samsung provided virtualized baseband capabilities (vRAN) to a key customer in the U.S. to deliver the first interconnected multi-vendor 5G trials in Michigan. Further demonstration of this significant vRAN achievement included the use of Samsung’s vRAN 1.0 operating in 28 GHz spectrum in five of eleven trial markets, ultimately proving that 5G could efficiently support fixed wireless access services.
Subsequent success for Samsung’s vRAN came in a partnership with SK Telecom (SKT) in June 2017. SKT’s end-to-end 5G trial used Samsung’s vRAN to power 5G NR base stations operating in the 3.5 GHz spectrum. The system delivered speeds exceeding 1 Gbps with a latency of 1.2 milliseconds, proving that Samsung’s vRAN is capable of meeting the low-latency mandate of 5G.
Samsung’s third vRAN milestone was achieved with Japan's KDDI, who leveraged Samsung vRAN and 5G base stations to connect with a train traveling at 100 km/hour. The Samsung-powered demonstration allowed users to download 8K video streams to a device while on the moving train. Simultaneously, a camera on the train uploaded a 4K video stream to a file-sharing platform. In addition to the 1.7 Gbps speed achieved during the tests, the vRAN-powered system completed handovers while maintaining uninterrupted connections during the demonstrations.
Samsung and KDDI together established another first using Samsung’s vRAN platform to demonstrate a live 4k video stream at the train station in Japan. This proved the vRAN’s ability to set up and manage the low-latency connections needed to deliver real-time video services for security purposes.
Samsung continued to demonstrate vRAN leadership by supporting the launch of a customer’s commercial 5G fixed wireless solution for its 5G Home service in the U.S. In this solution, Samsung’s vRAN powers the industry’s smallest and lightest 5G radios operating in the 28 GHz spectrum.
And recently, Samsung announced it achieved another significant vRAN milestone: Samsung demonstrated a fully virtualized 5G RAN implementation with dynamic spectrum sharing earlier this year in April. With the successful demonstration, Samsung proved the feasibility of operating 5G New Radio (NR) baseband functions on an x86-based Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) server, providing mobile carriers with a virtualized approach to 5G RAN.
The trial results matched the performance of a legacy hardware baseband by leveraging Samsung’s field-proven cellular algorithms.