SK Telecom (SKT) and NTT DOCOMO, INC. (DOCOMO) today announced their joint release of the virtualized RAN (vRAN) white paper, “Key Considerations for vRAN: Insights from SK Telecom and DOCOMO.”
The collaboration between SKT and DOCOMO has yielded a comprehensive white paper delving into the future prospects of vRAN base station equipment for telcos. Drawing upon the combined expertise of both entities in network construction and operation, the paper offers valuable insights tailored specifically for telcos while outlining expectations for base station equipment vendors.
One of the key focal points of the white paper revolves around the technological advancements crucial for the widespread adoption of vRAN base station equipment. It identifies three primary future requirements: increased processing capacity with reduced power consumption, early implementation of key virtualization capabilities such as resource pooling, scaling, and auto-healing, and the development of enhanced integration technology and tools for vRAN base station equipment.
In parallel, the paper addresses the significance of accelerator technologies for signal processing within vRAN base station equipment. It conducts a thorough technical analysis examining capacity, power consumption, and complexity across various accelerator structures and network architectures based on proprietary studies.
The collaboration between SKT and DOCOMO extends beyond this white paper initiative. In November 2022, both companies signed a cooperation agreement aimed at advancing technology studies related to next-generation telecommunications infrastructure for the evolution of 5G and the eventual transition to 6G. Following this agreement, in February 2023, they jointly released two white papers: one focusing on energy-efficient 5G mobile networks and associated technologies, and the other outlining the requirements for future 6G networks.
SKT and DOCOMO reaffirm their commitment to collaborative efforts across diverse technical domains. Their aim is to foster the establishment of a global ecosystem that encompasses cutting-edge industries and technologies, paving the way for continued innovation and development in telecommunications.
"This white paper represents a significant milestone based on the strong collaboration between our two companies, building upon our joint publication last year on Green Mobile Networks and 6G Requirements white papers, ” said Yu Takki, Vice President and Head of Infra Tech Office of SKT. “We will continue our collaboration with global leading operators like DOCOMO to prepare for the evolution towards future networks."
“I am delighted to announce the joint publication of this white paper summarizing the technical outlook and insights on vRAN equipment development and technologies, as a new achievement resulting from the technical collaboration between SKT and DOCOMO that began in November 2022,” said Masafumi Masuda, GM and Head of RAN Technology Promotion Office of DOCOMO. “We look forward to further enhancing collaboration between the two companies and leading the industry ecosystem together towards the success of 5G Evolution and 6G.”
