Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2024 - Sensor-9

ronment will permit seamless, secure
interoperation between any hardware
and software within a cellular network,
regardless of vendor.
Interoperability
& Performance
For example, Nokia and Deutsche
Telekom recently announced they have
begun to deploy a multi-vendor Open
RAN network with Fujitsu in Germany.
Nokia will deploy its O-RAN solution in
Deutsche Telekom's commercial network,
and expects it to match traditional,
purpose-built RAN in terms of
features, service, and performance.
There are some key benefits to the
O-RAN architectural concept, for example,
promoting vendor diversity and competition,
encouraging innovation, and driving
down costs. O-RAN enables operators to
select the best-of-breed components from
different suppliers, creating a more flexible
and scalable infrastructure. Network management
and deployment are simplified by
standardizing interfaces and promoting
automation. O-RAN facilitates the introduction
of new services and technologies
and can be credited with accelerating the
pace of innovation in the wireless industry.
The Basics and Benefits of O-RAN
An O-RAN system disaggregates a RAN
into three primary building blocks: radio
units (RUs), distributed units (DUs), and
centralized units (CUs). The RU is located
at the cell site (near or integrated
into the antenna) and processes radio
frequency signals. RUs convert frequency-domain
digital signals from the DU
into time-domain analog RF signals for
transmission and reception. The RU handles
modulation, demodulation, and amplification,
tasks that enable direct communication
with end-user devices.
CU
RRC
PDCP
Data
FI
Option
1
Option
2
Layer 3 Functions
Option
3
Option
4
Layer 2 Functions
Option
5
Option
6
eCPRI
Option
7.x
Layer 1 Functions
Figure 2. An O-RAN system disaggregates a RAN into three primary building blocks: radio units (RUs), distributed units (DUs), and centralized units (CUs).
(Image: LitePoint)
Sensor Technology, May 2024
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9
CPRI
Option
8
HighRLC
LowRLC
HighMAC
LowMAC
HighPHY
LowPHY
RF
Scalabilty
Open
RAN
Standardization
Figure
1. (Image: LitePoint)
The DU and CU work together to send
the digitized radio signal into the network.
The DU is typically situated close to
the RU at the cell site, and acts as a mediator
between the RU and the CU. The
DU handles computationally intensive
tasks like error correction, encoding, and
decoding, to ensure data flow is efficient
and use of the radio spectrum is optimal.
The CU is usually deployed at a centralized
location and oversees the network's
control plane. Its role involves
handling functions related to session
and mobility management and orchestrating
network resources. By managing
high-level operations, the CU ensures
seamless connectivity and network consistency
across multiple DUs and RUs.
The separation of RU and DU processing,
paired with CU network control, proDU
motes
flexible network deployment and
management. This modular approach enables
operators to optimize network performance,
reduce latency, and efficiently
scale resources to meet a range of shifting
demands. The resulting network infrastructure
is a dynamic and adaptive environment,
designed to make 5G networks
more flexible, scalable, and efficient.
O-RAN Today: Progress, Hurdles, and
Industry Responsibilities
While diversity fosters innovation and
competition, factors that drive down costs
and improve quality, it also complicates
network management and standardization.
This is illustrated by the notable
misalignment of specifications between
two major forces in the O-RAN market:
3GPP, the group behind the 5G standard,
RU
Testing
Strategies
Automation
& Management

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Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2024

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