Vodafone and Intel to create Open RAN chip sets

Underlining its commitment to Open RAN networks, Vodafone has confirmed that it would create purpose-built chipset architecture for the nascent technology with Intel. The European operator also said it had made its first 4G calls using Open RAN over network sites shared with Orange in Romania, and it was partnering with Nokia to pilot the technology in Italy. 

Open RAN allows mobile operators to potentially increase flexibility as it mixes and matches equipment from various suppliers. Progress has however been slow, as the market remains dominated by proprietary solutions from Ericsson, Nokia, and Huawei.  

Huawei has been hit by government restrictions in countries including Britain. 

Vodafone agreed in 2022 to work with U.S. chipmaker Intel on the potential to design its own chip architecture. The company’s director of network architecture Santiago Tenorio confirmed the partners would jointly create chipsets at its campus in Malaga, Spain. 

Tenorio said at the FYUZ industry event in Madrid that the chipsets will be available to smaller third-party vendors to test their own algorithms without a large financial outlay in silicon. 

He said the ability to produce silicon designs in testing sample quantities would significantly speed up the time to deliver innovation. 

“Combining Vodafone’s networking expertise with Intel’s strength in silicon architecture design will enable rapid prototyping, verification and testing, eventually leading to a faster mass production of the chips the industry needs to accelerate,” he said.