Telecom network operator Telefonica announced the validation of its new Open RAN 5G Standalone small cell.
The demonstration carried out by Node-H and Askey in Telefonica’s Technology & Automation Lab is a step forward to deliver 5G services with small cells.
With this ORAN-compliant solution Telefonica targets to increase the small cell ecosystem by delivering an innovative product that enables a wide range of use cases for different vertical markets.
The 5G small cell, developed by Askey, is powered by the Qualcomm FSM100 5G RAN Platform; a high performance and low power solution for small cells, and with Node-H’s scalable radio access, security, and management software. This small cell is a complete 5G base station that can be connected either directly to Telefonica’s macro network or to a local private 5G core.
The modular architecture of the small cell logically separates the CU, DU and RU functionalities following open and standard interfaces, which adds extra flexibility to the solution. With this approach, Telefonica expands its Open RAN portfolio and is one step closer to deploying tailored 5G open networks across a range of deployment models and sizes ranging from just a handful of cells to large campus networks.
Telefonica is confident that enlarging the 5G standalone small cell ecosystem contributes to enabling the full potential of 5G technology, such as the huge data capacity and short latency times that are designed into 5G networks, adding capabilities to already existing use cases and exploiting new opportunities.
“Together with our technology partners, we are expanding the 5G SA ecosystem, helping our customers on their digital transformation process, driving innovation across different scenarios,” says Jose Luis Espla, Access and Devices Director in Telefonica GCTIO.
