Five innovators to establish energy efficient Open RAN

Digital Catapult has today launched its first SONIC Labs Technology Access Programme, collaborating with leading organizations to address energy efficiency challenges in Open RAN operations. With telecommunications networks accounting for 90% of operators’ energy use, and the Radio Access Network (RAN) representing 80% of this consumption, five teams will develop, build and implement new solutions to make the global Open RAN market more sustainable.

Delivered by Digital Catapult and supported by Ofcom, with funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), SONIC Labs is an innovation programme and R&D facility established to explore the practical viability and performance of Open RAN solutions. Open RAN enables ongoing enhancements in energy management, and by breaking down network components, SONIC Labs’ inaugural technology access programme will consider how energy usage in Open RAN operations can be optimized; championing industrial sustainability through deep tech innovation. 

The new access programme launches as Open RAN is now projected to account for 20-30% of worldwide RAN revenues by 2028, and as Europe’s Open RAN revenue share is set to nearly double by 2028. Developing and deploying energy efficient Open RAN solutions will be key to supporting the global mobile telecoms sector to achieve its environmental objectives, cutting its carbon footprint whilst meeting growing demand from customers and commercial partners. 

With access to state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor testing sites, the five teams will receive technological guidance and opportunities for collaboration with the broader Digital Catapult network. Running for eight months, the participating companies will also have the opportunity to expand their value propositions, providing a pipeline of innovative and competitive suppliers and products in the Open RAN market. The impact of the programme and the participant’s pioneering solutions will be demonstrated at a showcase event planned for early 2025 to government and industry. 

Net AI, the University of York School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, and zTouch Networks will explore how applied artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning solutions can enhance the performance and resource usage of the radio network used in Open RAN. This will be achieved by optimizing a component of the Open RAN architecture called the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), which manages radio resources through real-time analytics and control. Optimization using RIC will improve network efficiency, reduce energy consumption and enhance the performance of Open RAN networks. 

To operate effectively, Open RAN splits the components of a wireless communication network, called the Radio Unit (RU), Distributed Unit (DU), and Centralised Unit (CU), allowing for more cost-effective disaggregation of network resources. As part of the programme, G REIGNS and JET Connectivity will benchmark and optimize the energy consumption of the CPU server cores used by the DU and CU, to provide energy efficient solutions for the mobile network operator (MNO) and private network provider community. This will lead to enhanced scalability, improved service delivery and reduced operational expenses for global MNOs and private network providers.

Telecoms Minister Chris Bryant said: “Not only will this slash energy use across digital networks such as 5G, but it will also save money for network operators and provide a more competitive service to consumers.

“We’re proud to support researchers who strive to make the UK’s tech sector more efficient and sustainable, and this is exactly the type of programme that pushes forward innovation in the telecoms sector – so the benefits of growth are felt amongst British consumers.”

Dritan Kaleshi, Director of 5G Technology at Digital Catapult, and the SONIC Labs programme, said: “Energy efficiency continues to be an area of significant focus for the successful development and adoption of open networks around the world. Given this challenge, the SONIC Labs Technology Access Programme will give pioneering organisations the opportunity to work collaboratively with Digital Catapult to build, implement and test tangible solutions to help accelerate the adoption of Open RAN technology in the UK. This programme marks an exciting new phase in the evolution of SONIC Labs, working jointly with Ofcom, and the journey towards a more diverse and competitive mobile telecoms supply chain.”  

James Thomas, CEO of JET Connectivity, said: “We are thrilled to be part of SONIC Labs and eagerly anticipate the wealth of collaboration and innovation it will bring. This programme represents an incredible opportunity for growth and development, and we are confident that the insights and experiences gained will be invaluable to our journey. Specifically showing how our 5G RAN stack can is O-RAN compliant and interoperable with the major vendors in the programme.”

Yi Chu, Research Fellow at the University of York, said: “Our research is building on the work of colleagues at the University of York who have developed energy efficient solutions for Open RAN. We are using AI to control and optimize how the network operates using performance measurements collected by the network. We’ll be rolling out and testing this approach on a trial network in Blackpool. Ultimately this will enable customers to benefit from more open and energy efficient mobile networks.”

For more information about SONIC Labs, visit www.digicatapult.org.uk

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