Deutsche Telekom Shows Multi-Vendor RAN Optimization
Deutsche Telekom has underlined its ongoing commitment to the development of Open RAN technology. They did this by announcing details of a multi-vendor trial around programmable radio access networks that demonstrates the potential of the Non-RT RIC and rApp concept to automate and optimize disaggregated RAN.
The Non-RT RIC brings intelligence, agility, and programmability to disaggregated radio access networks and enables third-party applications (rApps) that can perform closed-loop automation and optimization of RAN elements and resources. However, the multi-vendor integration of non-RT RIC, rApps and SMO also introduces challenges that must be addressed.
Working together with AirHop, Juniper Networks, VIAVI Solutions and VMware, the partners completed a RAN closed-loop optimization Proof of Concept (PoC) within Deutsche Telekom’s lab environment in a multi-vendor setup based on ONAP & O-RAN specifications. Closed loop rApp algorithms were onboarded and deployed on partners’ non-RT RIC. During the PoC, partners successfully executed two use cases:
Energy Savings dynamic multi-Carrier management (ESMC) using an Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) model, trained to determine the optimum time to enable/disable sleep mode on capacity cells in order to save energy while maintaining user quality of experience (QoE).
Initial tests were performed in a real end-to-end lab setup using a small O-RAN network to validate end-to-end configuration and performance management (CM & PM) integration for a real network environment. Most tests were executed on a more complex network setup using an O1 network emulator (RIC tester) to validate rApp logic and stress test the RIC components to benchmark the various solutions.
