MasOrange Opts For A More Open RAN Future, With Ericsson
Ericsson has announced a new deal with MasOrange, the largest communications service provider in Spain by customer base, to embark on what its calling a five-year Open RAN-ready future-network partnership. The agreement will see Ericsson integrate the existing Orange Spain and MASMOVIL networks to support the consolidated MasOrange infrastructure. The Swedish vendor expects the initiative to provide MasOrange with high-performing and sustainable network solutions designed for open architectures, enhancing flexibility, scalability, and innovation in network operations and service delivery.
Set to begin in October 2024, the project will run alongside the deployment of new 5G Standalone (5G SA) services in rural areas of Spain. Upon completion, the partnership aims to equip MasOrange with one of the most extensive and high-capacity 5G Standalone mobile networks in Europe.
Meinrad Spenger, CEO of MasOrange, commented that “This partnership with Ericsson is a pivotal moment not only for MasOrange but also for the European telecommunications industry and the Spanish market. We are pioneering Open RAN development and laying the groundwork for an open, programmable mobile infrastructure that fosters technological advances and sustainable growth.”
Jenny Lindqvist, Senior Vice President at Ericsson, also added that “This agreement signals a future where high-performance and differentiated networks are essential for the digitalization of enterprises and society. Our vision for the industry revolves around open and programmable networks, leveraging network APIs and an ecosystem of developers to drive rapid innovation and growth.”
According to Ericsson, the upgrade will allow MasOrange to more cost effectively provide differentiated and innovative 5G services, ensuring a more flexible and dynamic mobile-first environment. In support of that goal, Ericsson will be deploying its latest Open RAN compatible Massive MIMO antenna-integrated radios and RAN Compute solutions which it claims will significantly increase performance while lowering costs.
Network capacity will be further boosted through network optimisation and densification, as well as the extensive use of Time Division Duplex (TDD) technology. TDD can enhance user experience by enabling multiple antenna elements to send and receive data at the same time, allowing for greater data transmission through multiple spatial channels.
