London/Tokyo, Aug 30, 2022 — Virgin Media O2, NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) and Rakuten Symphony have announced their joint multi-vendor Open RAN deployment is entering the field phase, commencing with the activation of the first live sites in Virgin Media O2’s commercial network. This successful multi-vendor Open RAN system deployment on macro-sites in the UK is notable for being in a brownfield network and baselined on the existing Telco Cloud supply chain to maximize future synergies. Based in the Northamptonshire region, the system highlights the mobile operator, NEC and Rakuten Symphony’s commitment to driving Open RAN innovation in the mobile industry.
Following a successful Open RAN lab trial on Virgin Media O2’s network with NEC, Rakuten Symphony and ecosystem partners last year, the field deployment is now operational to handle commercial traffic. NEC’s world-class system integration capabilities and fully open end-to-end solution, combined with Rakuten Symphony's Open RAN software, edge cloud, and radio management and operations system, ensured the activation of the UK macro-sites while delivering vendor diversity and innovation.
These first live Open RAN macro-sites in Virgin Media O2’s network are possible after extensive testing at NEC and Rakuten Symphony’s labs in India and NEC’s Global Open RAN Centre of Excellence lab in Ruislip, London. The facility, equipped with state-of-the-art testing equipment, follows NEC’s design quality assurance process so that multi-vendor solutions can be efficiently integrated, tested, and validated before any field deployment.
The Virgin Media O2 Open RAN deployment aligns with the UK government’s efforts to diversify future telecom supply chains, recognizing Open RAN's importance in safeguarding security, resilience, innovation, and competition in critical national infrastructure.
Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said, “The successful activation of Virgin Media O2’s first UK macro-sites demonstrates the potential of the multi-vendor Open RAN model. We are strong believers in the power of diverse Open RAN ecosystems and in NEC, we have a partner that really shares our view. Its industry-leading system integration capabilities are integral in helping us deliver the mobile networks of the future, today.”
“NEC is true to its mission to deliver the most open Open RAN solutions to the telecoms and mobile industries,” said Mayuko Tatewaki, Senior Vice President at NEC. “We have great synergy with Virgin Media O2 in this respect and the company is a true leader in progressing Open RAN in the UK. The activation of the UK macro-sites together, in partnership with Rakuten Symphony and an ecosystem of industry leaders, showcases the potential of a fully open network. We’re excited to be driving this innovative project that brings us a step closer to realizing our multi-vendor Open RAN vision.”
"Rakuten Symphony and NEC have complementary solutions providing advanced and highly automated Open RAN, edge cloud and proven operational systems, and this deployment in the UK for Virgin Media O2 demonstrates innovation and technology leadership by the mobile operator," said Rabih Dabboussi, Chief Business Officer of Rakuten Symphony. "Rakuten Symphony's Open RAN software, combined with NEC's world-class radios and system integration capabilities, validate the transformative potential that Open RAN technology brings to the industry."
About Virgin Media O2
Virgin Media O2 launched on 1 June 2021, combining the UK’s largest and most reliable mobile network with a broadband network offering the fastest widely-available broadband speeds. It is a customer-first organisation that brings a range of connectivity services together in one place with a clear mission: to upgrade the nation. Virgin Media O2 is the corporate brand of the 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica SA, and one of the UK’s largest businesses.
The company has 47 million UK connections across broadband, mobile, TV and home phone. Its own fixed network currently passes 15.9 million premises alongside a mobile network that covers 99% of the nation’s population with 4G, and more than 600 towns and cities with 5G services targeting 50% population coverage in 2023.
About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com
About Rakuten Symphony
Rakuten Symphony is reimagining telecom, changing supply chain norms and disrupting outmoded thinking that threatens the industry’s pursuit of rapid innovation and growth. Based on proven modern infrastructure practices, its open interface platforms make it possible to launch and operate advanced mobile services in a fraction of the time and cost of conventional approaches, with no compromise to network quality or security. Rakuten Symphony has headquarters in Japan and local presence in the United States, Singapore, India, Europe and the Middle East Africa region.
For more information, visit: https://symphony.rakuten.com
