Intel and Airtel Seek to Drive 5G vRAN Development

Recently, Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) and Intel announced they would collaborate to drive network development of a 4G and 5G virtualized radio access network (vRAN) serving India’s growing consumer base. The collaboration will also work to develop open radio access network (RAN) technology. The plan is to bring the full potential of 5G to customers in India, bringing the growing economy in line with a hyperconnected world.

Evolving 4G and 5G communications networks

As economies evolve, next-generation communication networks can bring new capabilities for consumers and organizations. Intel’s work includes scaling 5G capability using an Airtel network powered by Intel Xeon Scalable processors, FPGAs and eASICs, Ethernet 800 Series, and FlexRAN reference architecture.

Airtel’s goal is to provide flexibility with bandwidth and match customer’s needs as India continues to grow. The partnership will serve as a foundation for enhanced mobile broadband and edge computing at a cost-optimized scale.

See also: 5G Networks are Ready to Open the Floodgates of Innovation

The collaboration addresses India’s growth

The country is home to the world’s second largest mobile population, thanks to affordable smartphone options and low data tariffs. India’s internet usage remains consistently mobile, and Airtel will address the unique internet needs of India’s consumers by boosting 4G networks and an extensive 5G rollout.

The partnership with Intel is part of Airtel’s 5G roadmap for India, deepening the digital transformation and helping ensure connected services to even remote areas. Airtel is the first telecom operator in India to demonstrate 5G over a live network. The company is currently conducting trials in some of India’s major cities.

The collaboration will continue to develop 5G solutions suited to India’s unique infrastructure needs. Airtel will also leverage the network through local partners to further digital adoption in a variety of industry verticals and consumer use cases. OpenRan will allow the type of innovation that can bring robust connectivity to remote areas using general-purpose services at the network edge.