The
ITU-T Focus Group on Costing models for affordable data services analyzed the supply-chain of telecom/ICT, the multiple cost models and pricing strategies used for mobile data services and Internet services and study the policy, economic, regulatory and standardization aspects related to cost models for affordable data services, including best practices of cost assessment methodologies and economic models. As part of its activities, the Focus Group organized a series of webinars focused on the areas of focus under study. The purpose of this webinar was to explore the topic of Open radio access network (RAN) and analyze its effects on the provision of accessible data services.
The third episode of this webinar series focused on Open RAN best practices for affordable data services and took place on
13 March 2024 from 14h00 to 15h30 CET.
The Focus Group on Costing Models for Affordable Data Services was studying ways to optimize network costs, allowing the provision of more affordable services as well as enhancing environmental sustainability and reducing visual pollution in cities. Entities of the sector were firmly convinced that networks must adopt an open model, committing to both infrastructure sharing (active and passive) and the implementation of the Open RAN concept.
The potential benefits of Open RAN were widely understood – greater efficiency, more innovation, lower total cost of ownership. With the maturity of hardware and software open interfaces, Open RAN was poised for larger-scale implementations in macro networks. Multinational operators had incorporated Open RAN solutions in their network development plan and were actively testing or deploying the open interface technology to their LTE and 5G NR networks globally. Vodafone had deployed Open RAN sites in several countries. Telefonica planned to achieve 50% of the new RAN site deployments based on Open RAN between 2022 and 2025. Etisalat had run a production trial of Open RAN for all mobile generations. Open RAN could deliver up to 30% TCO savings for operators with the right platform strategy and skill set.
In this context, the webinar explored Open RAN best practices, aimed at providing accessible data services. We discussed how to achieve affordable data services, along with deep dive into OPEN RAN specifications, architecture and interfaces. Discussed how to foster and promote additional efforts toward accessible data services through more open, programmable, virtualized, and efficient wireless networks.
Objectives:
- Provide an overview of the best practices around OPEN RAN; on examples from different countries;
- Explore current models of Open RAN implementations and its impact on providing accessible data services from the perspectives of a greenfield network model, a brownfield network model assessing cost reductions and efficiency gains, as well as industry experiences;
- Discuss the advantages of Open RAN networks in terms of cost reductions and propose recommendations that could be considered for the Focus Group work in this area.
Target audience: Telecom regulators, mobile network operators, industry associations, cost model experts, policymakers, Internet Exchange Point operators and Internet service providers
Panelists:
