Japanese telco KDDI has chosen Samsung as its main Open RAN vendor.
The agreement will see Samsung provide its 4G and 5G Open RAN compliant virtualized Radio Access Network (vRAN) products for KDDI's Open RAN deployment in Japan.
The two companies have been working together on Open RAN since 2021.
KDDI first switched on its Open vRAN sites last year in Osaka, when it partnered with Samsung and Fujitsu to deploy the technology.
This week the company said that from next year, it will expand its Open RAN deployment with the support of Samsung's vRAN.
KDDI’s Open RAN network will feature enhanced capabilities for improved energy efficiency, optimized performance, and intelligent automation, the carrier said.
“KDDI has been focused on identifying and preparing for next-generation networks, and we have been conducting numerous technical verification and feasibility studies on Open RAN with industry-leading companies like Samsung,” said Kazuyuki Yoshimura, chief technology officer of KDDI.
The deal with Samsung will cover the vendor's product offering, including its full suite of O-RAN-compliant radios, which can support low and mid-bands including advanced Massive MIMO radios and third-party radio integration support.
It also includes Samsung CognitiV Networks Operations Suite (NOS), a solution that automates the life cycle management of large-scale vRAN buildouts.
