Network software provider Mavenir is announcing a new collection of O-RAN compatible equipment that promises to provide businesses with even more options for rolling out private 5G networks based on open standards.
The OpenBeam lineup consists of a portfolio of Radio Units (RUs), an important 5G networking component, that works with the Open RAN ecosystem, meaning they can be deployed modularly with other O-RAN compliant equipment such as virtualized base stations and 5G core systems.
Mavenir’s new hardware is also available across a wide range of spectrum, covering both licensed and unlicensed frequencies, along with both macrocell and microcell units. Macrocells offer wide-area coverage across an entire campus, while microcells can be deployed to increase performance in higher traffic zones, such as outdoor event spaces.
Supporting private 5G expansion
5G technology is driving wireless connectivity like never before, as organizations from universities to retailers look for new ways to ensure students, staff, and customers can stay in touch and access the resources they need to work, shop, and learn.
As mobile device users look for a more connected world, Wi-Fi is no longer sufficient, as it can’t deliver the range or handle the capacity that 5G cellular solutions can. As a result, companies are looking to private 5G networks to bridge the gaps and blanket their campuses with reliable network coverage.
Until recently, issues with both cost and complexity have hampered 5G adoption by many businesses. 5G hardware isn’t nearly as economical to deploy as more established Wi-Fi solutions, and many network operators are still struggling to figure out how to make everything work together to offer a seamless experience.
The mobile world isn’t sitting still, however, and businesses will be forced to find ways to keep up. For example, a recent study showed that traditional retailers expect 5G adoption in stores to triple by 2024, driven by the demands of visiting customers for more interactive digital shopping experiences.
The demand from enterprises to come up with turnkey solutions that can be rapidly deployed has led to the formation of the O-RAN Alliance. This is a coalition of carriers, vendors, and researchers that have banded together to create a standard to make sure all Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment can easily work together, regardless of the vendor it’s purchased from.
More significantly, it’s also opened the door for many lesser-known manufacturers like Mavenir to compete on a level playing field, which also results in lower deployment costs as businesses and network integrators end up with a wealth of available options.
The O-RAN Alliance means that we’re well past the days whe big names like Cisco, Avaya, Nortel, and HPE dominated the landscape, forcing customers to stick with single-vendor solutions that drove prices up and left the smaller players out in the cold.
Best of all, it allows businesses to move more quickly at 5G network deployments, bringing us closer to the promise of a fully connected world.
