Again: AT&T announced its goal to upgrade 70% of its mobile network to Open RAN technology

 

AT&T Labs has successfully finalized the inaugural Open Radio Access Network (RAN) call utilizing third-party radios across AT&T’s commercial infrastructure, as disclosed by the company in a recent blog entry. 

Ericsson and 1Finity collaborated with AT&T on the project. 

According to AT&T, the success of this solution, which involves various vendors, highlights the interoperability and adaptability that Open RAN introduces to their network. They emphasized that this underscores the essential nature of collaboration in the advancement of open, programmable networks. 

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AT&T indicated its aim to transition from a closed, proprietary network framework to a fully open and programmable network through Open RAN. Such a transition would facilitate enhanced flexibility, speed, and choice for consumers. 

“Since unveiling our strategy to modernize our wireless network, we’ve made substantial strides,” AT&T stated in their blog regarding the Open RAN initiative. 

“Thus far, we’ve successfully completed nearly 40% of our overall transition program, moving from Nokia radios to Ericsson equipment. Furthermore, we’ve incorporated valuable mid-band (N77) spectrum into over 15,000 locations, which provides enhanced speeds and a significantly improved wireless experience for our customers. This achievement stands as a testament to the commitment and diligence of our teams. Moreover, this milestone is not merely technical — it is a clear indication that the future of wireless will be open, agile, and innovation-driven. ” 

Two years prior, AT&T announced its goal to upgrade 70% of its mobile network to Open RAN technology by 2026. The company has stated that it will collaborate with Ericsson for these deployments, with an investment projected at $14 billion throughout AT&T’s five-year engagement with Ericsson. 

AT&T is not the sole carrier seeking to broaden Open RAN access. Earlier this year, Verizon declared that it had implemented over 130,000 Open RAN-capable radios, including substantial MIMO radios. 

Open RAN modularizes RAN functions through the use of open interfaces among network components. The technology can be software-defined and may be executed on vendor-neutral hardware.