Mavenir, Aspire drive testing of O-RAN radios in Europe

Mavenir, the Network Software Provider building the future of networks with cloud-native software that runs on any cloud and transforms the way the world connects, has announced the collaboration with Aspire Technology (Aspire), a specialized Network Solutions developer and System Integrator, to accelerate the market availability of O-RAN split 7.2 compliant Remote Radiohead Units (RRUs) leveraging Aspire’s Open Networks Lab in Europe.

Communication Service Providers (CSPs) demand for integrated high performing Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) solutions based on Mavenir O-RAN compliant cloud-native Centralized Unit (CU) and Distributed Unit (DU) RAN software stacks is growing fast, fueled by modernization and coverage expansion projects, as well as private networks and indoor projects.

The number of O-RAN compliant RRUs from partners globally is also growing with sophisticated products across the different radio technologies, including Massive MIMO (mMIMO) and millimeter Wave (mmWave).

Mavenir and Aspire will be leveraging Aspire’s Open Networks Lab in Dublin for third-party RRU integration and testing. Furthermore, RRU vendors will be able to engage directly with Aspire and fast-track the integration and testing of new O-RAN compliant radios and frequency variants with Mavenir CU/DU software.

This collaboration will benefit not only RRU vendors, but also CSPs by expanding the offering of innovative and high-performing solutions supporting a wide number of use cases.

“This partnership greatly enhances the capacity to integrate and test RRUs with Mavenir’s CU/DU for 4G and 5G,” said Puneet Sethi, SVP/GM RAN Business for Mavenir. “Open RAN has accelerated to a point that we need to continuously innovate to be ahead of demand, including go-to-market models. Our RRU partners want to get their newest products available for deployment, and CSPs want to take full advantage of a fast-paced ecosystem minimizing integration and testing effort. We are continuously expanding our partner eco-systems for RRU integration to respond to the evolving market needs with specialized high-quality services and fast turnaround.”

Declan Friel, CTO, Aspire said; “We are delighted to extend our relationship with Mavenir. Aspire’s heritage in software engineering and testing of complex radio products carried over into Open RAN, combined with global CSP experience through design, optimization and support of live networks, uniquely positions us to accelerate the availability of new ORAN compliant solutions for wide market adoption. As a European-based independent company, and with our Open Networks Lab in Ireland today supporting a number of global clients and partners, our focus has been to accelerate the ORAN ecosystem development and to support CSPs. This will allow them to fully realize the benefits of Telco Cloud, Service Management & Orchestration and Open RAN, in terms of flexibility, performance and cost.”