How Open RAN Networks are Transforming
In-Building Connectivity for the Better
By: Yong Hoon Kang, Ph.D - Chief Technology Officer, SOLiD Americas
Across the mobile network landscape, the market forces of growing competition and shrinking revenue are squeezing mobile network operators (MNOs) in the middle. This situation is driving a
transformation in network architecture — chief among these changes is the slow but steady implementation of Open RAN technology. Despite some adoption delays, this move away from proprietary
infrastructure is showing promise, allowing MNOs the flexibility and agility to unlock greater performance, scalability, innovation, and cost efficiency.However, Open RAN is not only for deployment in outdoor public mobile networks. In fact, in-building networks offer an ideal opportunity to fully implement Open RAN for maximum efficiency.
Open to Optimization
The deployment of distributed antenna system (DAS) technology has been the prevailing approach to in-building cellular coverage for many years. This conventional practice offers reliable connectivity throughout buildings and across campuses for enterprises, retail businesses, hospitals, higher education, and sports or entertainment venues.
Despite the widespread acceptance of deploying DAS infrastructure for in-building cellular coverage, there are obstacles, the largest being the costs and unfamiliar processes involved in
procuring MNO signal sources. Reliance on traditional radio access network (RAN) equipment, which is designed for outdoor network coverage, to provide radio frequency (RF) signal sources can
introduce high costs and timeline uncertainty, often leading to delays and increased total cost of ownership (TCO). This challenge is being addressed by the evolution of Open RAN technology,
creating an open door to best-of-breed, interoperable components from different suppliers.
With the growing adoption of O-RAN ALLIANCE standards, convergence between the wide-area network and
in-building networks can be streamlined. In fact, by embedding an Open RAN fronthaul into the in-building DAS headend, MNO signal source costs can be eliminated. An O-RAN fronthaul provides a
standardized, open interface to connect multi-vendor radio units (RUs) and distributed units (DUs) with open, packet-based, digital transport for improved speed and agility, while boosting indoor
capacity, coverage, and reliability.
Space to Grow
The integration of Open RAN with DAS technology enables businesses to plan and budget their in-building cellular investments at lower costs and with greater certainty than is possible today. Moreover, this transformation will continue to deliver value throughout the DAS equipment's lifecycle. That’s because integrating a multi-vendor DAS platform with an O-RAN signal source drastically reduces power consumption, as well as space and cooling requirements, increasing the return on investment (ROI) and lessening the building owner’s burden. Likewise, MNOs benefit because they do not need to expend time and money to procure signal source units from major RAN suppliers with long lead times.
