Verizon has deployed an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN)-based distributed antenna systems (DAS) with multiple vendor interoperability at The University of Texas Moody Center and the Austin Convention Center. These are the first DAS systems commercially deployed in the Verizon network using O-RAN interfaces between the various components of the cellular RAN from different vendors.

Both systems use a Samsung vDU with an O-RAN interface to a Commscope DAS, illustrating how O-RAN standards can bring together best-in-class products from the ecosystem to create a highly efficient solution and provide Verizon’s high performing 5G ultra-wideband service throughout the venues. Not only does this commercial deployment mark a major step towards larger-scale, multi-vendor deployments using O-RAN, but it materially impacts the cost of power, space and cooling by eliminating unnecessary RF equipment, and improves reliability resulting in a gold-standard customer experience for fans and visitors to these venues.

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“The massive evolution of our network over the past few years including our move to a cloud-based architecture, widespread virtualization and our aggressive adoption of O-RAN standards and capabilities has enabled us to show O-RAN interoperability success in a commercial environment,” said Adam Koeppe, Senior Vice President of Technology Planning at Verizon.

O-RAN offers the promise of a wide range of benefits that should introduce new competition and innovation into the RAN ecosystem with the establishment of open and interoperable interfaces between different hardware and software components. The transition to Open RAN has the potential to bring many benefits in terms of deployment flexibility, faster innovation in an open environment, and greater service options by increasing the opportunity for new entrants to provide competitive and advanced solutions. More competition, more innovation and increased supplier diversity will all be net benefits to operators and customers.

Verizon has been driving the adoption of O-RAN for years by being a leading voice in developing and adopting O-RAN standards and aggressively deploying more than 130,000 O-RAN capable radios in its network.