LIVE FROM TIP FYUZ 2025, DUBLIN: Leading vendors provided further evidence the open RAN sector is ripening, explaining compatible products are now part of their core proposition and highlighting automation as one of the key next steps for the sector.

Robert Backhouse, CTO Americas at Nokia (pictured, second from right) argued the impact of openness on infrastructure players is more one of evolution than revolution, highlighting how its self-organising network is being used as a foundation for open RAN developments.

The executive noted operators have led the developments of “hundreds of applications” in recent years, a “closed ecosystem” which he said must now be transitioned to Nokia’s new platform and converted into rApps.

Nokia hopes to shake up the industry through a recent tie-up with chip company Nvidia. Backhouse said the pair have worked together for “about 18 months” and hope to “bring some competition” to purpose-built and cloud RAN sectors.

“We’re pretty excited about that announcement.”

Ericsson is also making openness and relevant elements a core part of its offering, senior manager of cloud and open RAN engagement David Bladsjo (pictured, second from left) said.

He highlighted big progress on automation with open management systems Ericsson and the broader industry made over the past year, and said the vendor is now looking to bolster the number of services on offer to capture “very broad” automation opportunities.

Sadayuki Abeta, CTO of OREX SAI, a joint venture between NTT Docomo and NEC (pictured, far right), highlighted there are many levels of disaggregation in the vendor space itself.

The company works with companies including HPE, NEC and other partners, enabling it to cover more bases but also share the risk.

Abeta explained such arrangements can simplify the process of introducing fresh technologies by providing access to proven systems and can contribute to delivering “more secure networks”.

Fresh talent
Everth Flores, VP and head of Samsung Networks Europe (pictured, far left) argued it is a key beneficiary of the shift to open infrastructure, flagging contracts won with Verizon, Vodafone Group and KDDI, among others.

The executive noted automation efforts are being accelerated, but also challenged, by AI, which is delivering performance improvements over traditional infrastructure, along with “operational efficiency” and the chance for Samsung to “build a strong foundation for a data-driven, software-centric network”.

Flores noted the open RAN sector is unlikely to be restricted to 4G or 5G technologies, explaining 2G is likely to remain part of the mix due to the importance of machine-to-machine services within operator’s overall proposition.