Parallel Wireless and MTEL Banja Luka Extend Collaboration to Advance AI-Native, Energy-Efficient Open RAN

Parallel Wireless announced an expanded collaboration to bring next-generation network intelligence, energy efficiency, and supply chain diversity to MTEL’s urban mobile infrastructure. The announcement builds on a successfully completed 2G/4G Open RAN lab proof of concept and marks a deepened commitment to Open RAN innovation in the Western Balkans region.

MTEL Banja Luka, which serves subscribers across Bosnia and Herzegovina, is pursuing Open RAN as a strategic pathway to modernize its network with AI-native architecture and establish greater flexibility across its technology ecosystem. Under the expanded collaboration, MTEL will work with Parallel Wireless and their service partner IGMAKO Smart Solutions, to deploy and assess UNITY AI™, AI RAN software designed to improve network performance, per-site optimization, and the extension of intelligence across network operations. By embedding AI directly within the RAN software, the network can continuously adapt to real-world traffic and radio conditions, helping maintain higher throughput, increased capacity, and more consistent performance as demand grows, while improving energy efficiency and reducing operational complexity.

The collaboration reflects MTEL Banja Luka’s ambition to be among the leading operators in the region advancing Open RAN as a production-ready alternative, delivering innovation, supply chain diversity, and the operational agility that traditional vendor frameworks cannot provide.

“MTEL Banja Luka is committed to being a leading operator in the region by pursuing innovative technologies that enhance customer experience and deliver superior connectivity,” said Rastko Pavlovic, CTO of MTEL Banja Luka. “By expanding our work with Parallel Wireless, we are not only advancing Open RAN in our network but also leveraging AI to build a more efficient, energy-conscious, and flexible network.”

“The Western Balkans represent exactly the kind of market where Open RAN can deliver real impact, with operators looking to innovate, increase supply chain flexibility, and build more efficient networks,” said Steve Papa, Founder and CEO of Parallel Wireless. “AI-native architecture is not a premium add-on, but the foundation for competitive networks. Our work with MTEL Banja Luka signals that Open RAN is ready for serious operators in every region.”

MTEL’s engagement with Parallel Wireless, reflects a broader shift among European operators toward Open RAN as a path to supply chain diversity and long-term technology independence. By moving beyond reliance on legacy incumbent infrastructure, MTEL is positioning itself to benefit from the pace of innovation enabled by open, multi-vendor ecosystems, including accelerating AI capabilities and enabling more flexible deployment and evolution of network intelligence over time.

Source: Parallel Wireless media announcement