The test call was made on the Intel Xeon 6 SoC optimized for vRAN software capable of supporting intensive workloads, AI applications and services across 2G, 4G and 5G networks on a single high-performance server. This streamlined configuration paves the way for Vodafone to manage fewer systems and less hardware that perform on par or better than traditional RAN baseband solutions, while reducing costs, energy consumption and providing a more flexible foundation to introduce AI throughout its network. This milestone was achieved in tandem with ecosystem partners, Dell Technologies (server) and Wind River (cloud platform) and will be commercially deployed during 2026.

The announcement builds on the selection of Samsung as a key strategic partner for Vodafone’s deployment of Open RAN at scale across Europe. Together, the companies deployed their first Open RAN test site in Germany last year and have been extending the technology to additional commercial sites. Later this year, the Hanseatic city of Wismar in the federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is set to become the first city in the Vodafone mobile network in Germany to be fully equipped with Open RAN. With network performance matching or exceeding that of traditional hardware-based solutions, Vodafone’s Open RAN deployment in Germany is on track to cover broader regions in the country in a phased approach, driven by the rapid integration of the latest processor advancements.

Samsung and Vodafone have continued to strengthen their network collaboration based on open architecture by integrating advanced processors and incorporating AI-powered automation into commercial networks. By fostering an open ecosystem, Open RAN accelerates the delivery of high-performance, energy-efficient connectivity while enabling Vodafone to rapidly introduce innovative services that seamlessly adapt to evolving customer demands.

“Vodafone is focused on delivering the best possible customer experience by building a future-ready network,” said Marco Zangani, Director of Network Strategy and Architecture, Vodafone. “The test conducted with Samsung, alongside our implementation of open network architecture, supports this strategy, enabling us to introduce new 5G-Advanced services while enhancing energy efficiency and streamlining operations through automation and AI from the cell site to the edge of the network and in the core.”

Samsung’s vRAN offers the flexibility to support the latest processing technologies as they come to market, ensuring operators remain ahead of the industry’s rapid innovation cycle. Operators can efficiently manage network resources and apply unused computing capacity to host and run AI and edge applications directly on their existing telco infrastructure, closer to where the data is generated and used. Such versatility enables seamless processing power management and enhances responsiveness, while also paving the way for next-generation customer experiences that range from emerging devices to more dynamic, latency-sensitive applications.

“This breakthrough with Vodafone shows how a software, cloud-native approach empowers networks to become more efficient, more adaptable and ready for what’s next,” said Everth Flores, Vice President and Head of Samsung Networks Europe. “By advancing toward more flexible networks, we are not only facilitating immediate AI adoption but also laying the essential groundwork for an AI-native, 6G-ready infrastructure. We are proud to continue our momentum with Vodafone, as we expand and modernize connectivity in markets across Europe.”

To efficiently manage software-driven networks at scale, Samsung and Vodafone are taking a more intelligent approach to automation, made possible by Samsung CognitiV Network Operations Suite (NOS). This AI-powered automation solution is the ideal fit for Vodafone’s large-scale Open RAN deployment and AI transformation across Europe, by enabling one-click network deployment and easier upgrades.

Samsung Networks has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung is driving the industry to advance 5G networks and paving the way for 6G and beyond with its market-leading product portfolio, from purpose-built RAN, vRAN, Open RAN, AI-RAN and core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools and applications. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver boundless connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

1. ©Intel, the Intel logo and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries. ︎

Samsung will feature this milestone at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 as part of its broader effort to further advance AI enhancements into its market-leading, software-driven network portfolio using NVIDIA platforms. The company will present an AI-RAN demonstration running on NVIDIA AI infrastructure ― an AI-based downlink performance boost (AI MIMO¹ beamformer) that leverages AI algorithms for improved throughput. This demonstration will show how AI can deliver higher spectral efficiency for operators, extracting more capacity from existing spectrum. Together, these activities reflect Samsung’s leadership in bringing AI-RAN innovation towards commercialization.

“As AI-powered capabilities become integral to meeting the demands of evolving networks and growing traffic needs, Samsung’s vRAN takes center stage with its software-based architecture,” said Keunchul Hwang, Executive Vice President and Head of Technology Strategy Group, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “The successful multi-cell test with NVIDIA is another reinforcement of Samsung’s endeavor and leadership in providing operators with more flexibility and the best performance, with an enriched ecosystem consisting of industry-leading CPU and GPU partners such as NVIDIA.”

The companies are also collaborating on driving innovations to enable high-speed connections between the CPU and GPU, by leveraging Samsung’s vRAN and NVIDIA’s unified processor that embeds CPU and GPU into a single chipset. This allows fast and efficient data exchanges between CPU and GPU while enabling optimal balance of performance and total cost of ownership.

Last month, Samsung and NVIDIA continued toward commercialization by completing the integration of Samsung’s vRAN software and NVIDIA’s ARC Compact equipped with NVIDIA Grace CPU and NVIDIA L4 GPU. Going forward, Samsung is committed to further exploring and verifying the synergies that these solutions bring to advanced networks.

“Operators today need AI-native, software-defined infrastructure to stay ahead of evolving connectivity demands. Samsung’s successful multi-cell validation and innovative AI beamforming solution on NVIDIA AI Aerial mark an important milestone towards AI-RAN commercialization,” said Soma Velayutham, VP of AI and Telecoms, NVIDIA.

By combining its experience from large-scale commercial vRAN deployments and expertise on computing platforms from partners like NVIDIA, Samsung commands the lead in AI-powered, software-based networks.

Samsung Networks has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from purpose-built RAN, virtualized RAN, Open RAN, AI-RAN, Cloud-native vCore to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools and applications. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver boundless connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

1. Multiple-input multiple output, a wireless technology that uses multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to boost data speeds, increase capacity and improve range. ︎

With the seamless integration of Samsung’s vRAN and Open RAN solutions in previous projects, the operator’s live network delivered enhanced Quality of Service (QoS) and an improved end-user experience, showing performance maturity and operational effectiveness comparable to or better than those of traditional RAN solutions.

Samsung and Orange have been working together to ensure that vRAN and Open RAN are viable solutions in building sustainable networks. This open and flexible architecture not only enhances network resilience but also fosters innovation by enabling the operator to leverage optimal solutions.

In this next phase, the companies are further advancing their vRAN and Open RAN collaboration by integrating the latest processors into Orange’s networks. This includes Samsung’s AI-powered vRAN with Intel Xeon 6 system-on-a-chip (SoC), which runs on a single commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) server from Dell with a cloud platform from Wind River.

This upgraded solution with enhanced computing power enables a powerful, single server to meet high-capacity configuration requirements from Orange, resulting in a smaller footprint, improved performance, reduced power consumption and simplified operations. This also helps the operator to handle intensive workloads and AI applications on a single server by flexibly managing network resources and applying unused computing capacity to run AI and edge applications on its existing network.

“Moving forward to the next chapter of our collaboration with Orange demonstrates how Samsung’s software-driven, open solutions are a proven, robust foundation that offer reliable network performance and services to operators and customers alike,” said Angelo Jeongho Park, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We’re committed to advancing virtualized and open platforms as beacons of innovation that can harness AI to meet the high demands of future networks.”

“From our first call for the pilot project to our current phase in the field, Samsung’s virtualized RAN and Open RAN have proved significant performance achievements in Orange’s networks,” said Laurent Leboucher, Orange Group CTO. “With new deployments planned ahead, we look forward to further accelerating the transformation of Orange’s networks to be AI-ready.”

This strategic collaboration underscores the continued commitment of both companies to driving innovation based on an open architecture, delivering cutting-edge solutions and AI capabilities into the network.

Samsung Networks has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung is driving the industry to advance 5G networks and paving the way for 6G and beyond with its market-leading product portfolio, from purpose-built RAN, vRAN, Open RAN, AI-RAN and core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools and applications. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver boundless connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Samsung has been pushing the boundaries of network virtualization, offering operators exceptional performance and reliability. This accomplishment marks a significant milestone, validating that Samsung’s vRAN is the optimal platform for operators to build AI-native, 6G-ready networks by fully leveraging the power of the cutting-edge processor technology.

Conducted on a Tier 1 U.S. operator’s commercial network, Samsung’s cloud-native vRAN with Intel’s latest Xeon SoC ran on a single commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) server from Hewlett Packard Enterprise with a cloud platform from Wind River. This milestone, coming only a few months after the first wave of Intel Xeon 6 SoC was made commercially available, presents an innovative pathway for single-server vRAN deployments for next-generation networks.

As operators accelerate their transition to software-driven, flexible architectures while seeking more sustainable infrastructure, the ability to run RAN and AI workloads on fewer, more powerful servers becomes critical.

On a single server of Samsung’s AI-powered vRAN with enhanced processors, operators can consolidate software-driven network elements such as mobile core, radio access, transport and security, which traditionally required multiple servers, significantly simplifying the management of complex site configuration.

This innovative approach not only reduces network power consumption, capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX), but also facilitates operators’ seamless adoption of AI-RAN and AI services, accelerating their readiness for 6G through its flexibility and automation capability.

“This breakthrough represents a major leap forward in network virtualization and efficiency. It confirms the real-world readiness of this latest technology under live network conditions, demonstrating that single-server vRAN deployments can meet the stringent performance and reliability standards required by leading carriers,” said June Moon, Executive Vice President, Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are not only deploying more sustainable, cost-effective networks, but also laying the foundation to fully utilize AI capabilities more easily and prepare for 6G with our end-to-end software-driven network solutions.”

Samsung’s vRAN leverages the latest Intel Xeon 6 SoC with Intel Advanced Matrix Extensions (Intel AMX), Intel vRAN Boost and up to 72 cores, delivering significant improvements in AI processing, memory bandwidth and energy efficiency compared to the previous generation.

“With Intel Xeon 6 SoC, featuring higher core counts and built-in acceleration for AI and vRAN, operators get the compute foundation for AI native, future ready networks,” said Cristina Rodriguez, VP and GM, Network & Edge, Intel. “This collaborative achievement with Samsung, HPE and Wind River enables greater consolidation of RAN and AI workloads, lowering power and total cost while speeding innovation.”

As a leader in network innovation, Samsung has been spearheading the deployment of vRAN solutions with major operators worldwide and has achieved many industry breakthroughs, including the industry’s first call on a commercial network and large-scale deployments utilizing Intel Xeon processors with Intel vRAN Boost. The company continues to push the boundaries of network virtualization, working closely with ecosystem partners like Intel to deliver solutions that help operators build networks that are more efficient and sustainable.

“This successful first call is an important milestone for the industry,” said Daryl Schoolar, Analyst and Director at Recon Analytics. “By demonstrating multiple network functions running on next-generation processing technology, Samsung is showing what future networks look like — more cloud-native, more scalable and significantly more efficient. This achievement moves the industry beyond theoretical performance gains and into practical, deployable innovation that operators around the world can leverage to modernize their networks, accelerate automation and better support AI-driven use cases.”

Samsung Networks has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung is driving the industry to advance 5G networks and paving the way for 6G and beyond with its market-leading product portfolio, from purpose-built RAN, vRAN, Open RAN, AI-RAN and core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools and applications. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver boundless connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

1. Intel, the Intel logo and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries. ︎

The RIC is a software-based component in Open RAN (O-RAN) architecture that uses AI and automation to optimize network performance with intelligent applications. It enables operators to flexibly deploy and manage diverse applications for comprehensive monitoring and analysis as well as energy-saving operations, helping them optimize networks, manage resources efficiency and elevate service quality.

This RIC deployment represents the next phase of TELUS and Samsung’s ongoing collaboration to transform Canada’s telecommunications landscape. Following the companies’ announcement of Canada’s first commercial virtualized and O-RAN network in February 2024, the RIC implementation will enable TELUS to harness AI throughout network operations and management – significantly boosting operational efficiency with potential to reduce costs.

“We are excited to broaden our collaboration with Samsung to transform our network and enhance the customer experience using AI,” said Bernard Bureau, Vice President of Wireless Strategy & Services at TELUS. “This partnership aligns closely with our commitment to responsible sovereign AI development and will enable us to provide more personalized, efficient and sustainable services. Importantly, it also allows us to manage and optimize RAN equipment from multiple vendors through a single, unified platform, maintaining the diversity and flexibility that are core principles of O-RAN.”

“AI is ushering in a new era of possibilities and in order to fully realize its potential across industries, the right foundation is critical. At Samsung, we believe vRAN is the best way forward on the path to AI-RAN, built on an end-to-end software-based architecture that provides the optimal foundation for AI. We are actively supporting our customers’ AI journey today with our proven vRAN and AI-powered solutions including RIC,” said Angelo Jeongho Park, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “As Canada’s leader in vRAN and Open RAN, TELUS is very well-positioned to lead the way in bringing AI into the networks. Together with TELUS, we are fueling the transition to a more intelligent and autonomous network.”

Samsung’s RIC solution supports both legacy hardware-based and open virtualized networks, allowing TELUS to implement intelligent automation across its entire network infrastructure. This capability allows TELUS to gain immediate benefits while maintaining its accelerated vRAN deployment across Canadian markets.

Samsung’s offerings include the KPI Anomaly Detector (KAD) and RAN Anomaly Insight (RAI) to proactively identify and analyze network issues, Energy Saving Manager (ESM) to perform dynamic traffic prediction and automated orchestration of diverse energy saving features and Load Balancing Manager (LBM) to optimize resource utilization and improve network performance and reliability. Samsung’s O-RAN compliant RIC solution seamlessly supports intelligent applications from Samsung as well as third parties, ensuring TELUS can leverage the best innovations across the industry.

Samsung’s initial delivery of software solutions was completed in July, and will continue throughout 2025. The companies plan to conduct extensive testing across various Canadian markets over the course of this year.

With more than 30 years of innovation in Canada, Samsung continues to be part of the country’s progress toward advancing technology and helping its people stay connected. Samsung has also been actively involved in advancing AI in the region, with the establishment of its AI Centre Toronto (AIC-Toronto) in 2018. The AIC-Toronto is part of the company’s efforts to maximize its expertise and leadership in the global AI landscape, bringing new capabilities to consumers and businesses.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a world-leading communications technology company operating in more than 45 countries and generating over $20 billion in annual revenue with more than 20 million customer connections through our advanced suite of broadband services for consumers, businesses and the public sector. We are committed to leveraging our technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. TELUS is passionate about putting our customers and communities first, leading the way globally in client service excellence and social capitalism. Our TELUS Health business is enhancing 157 million lives across 200 countries and territories through innovative preventive medicine and well-being technologies. Our TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods business utilizes digital technologies and data insights to optimize the connection between producers and consumers. Guided by our enduring ‘give where we live’ philosophy, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $1.8 billion in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs including 2.4 million days of service since 2000, earning us the distinction of the world’s most giving company.

We’re always building Canada.

For more information, visit telus.com or follow @TELUSNews on X and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

Samsung Electronics is set to redefine mobile AI experiences at Mobile World Congress 2025, taking place at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona on March 3-6. Samsung’s Mobile eXperience (MX) and Networks businesses will present their latest AI innovations, including the next evolution of Galaxy AI¹ and its software-centric networks.

Samsung’s vision to deliver a true AI companion through advanced mobile AI innovation will be on full display at MWC, from the Galaxy S25 series to the new Galaxy A series and its first XR headset, Project Moohan. This includes an exclusive look at Galaxy S25 Edge, the slimmest Galaxy S series device ever, which advances Samsung’s legacy of pioneering cutting-edge hardware innovation. Visitors will also be able to explore how AI is shaping the future of health and home life, setting a new standard for intelligent, connected living. These transformative AI advancements are backed by Samsung’s core promise of uncompromising security and privacy at every level for its users.

Experiencing the Full Potential of Galaxy S25

Leading the paradigm shift of mobile AI phones, the new Galaxy S25 series transforms the way people get things done, create and play. Beyond its AI advancements, the Galaxy S25 series also brings its state-of-the-art camera capabilities and performance to the forefront, with hands-on experiences demonstrating the power and speed that form the foundation of every Galaxy device.

In a space highlighting how Galaxy S25 acts as an indispensable AI companion helping to get tasks done more seamlessly, visitors will get to see and experience:

• Seamless experience across apps:² See how tasks like finding a restaurant on Google Maps and sharing details via Messages become effortless with a single voice command with Gemini — now available on Samsung, Google and select third-party apps.
• Circle to Search³ with Google: Search your phone screen in more helpful and contextual ways like recognizing URLs and visiting a website with a single gesture.
• Gemini Live:⁴ Use natural conversation for brainstorming, learning and rehearsing with real-time responses and support for images, files and YouTube videos.
• Now Brief:⁵ Check out the personalized content snapshot based on tailored insights, as well as proactive recommendations through Now Bar⁶.

The experience continues with Galaxy S25’s advanced camera technology and introduces new ways to create, including:

• Drawing Assist⁷: Users can take content creation to the next level with intelligent sketch refinement and enhancement.
• Gallery Search⁸: Natural language-based search makes it easier than ever to find memories in situations.
• Filters: Unique portrait effects and explore new filter options, add a personal touch to photos taken in portrait mode.

The last zone, featuring new ways to play, will give visitors a closer look at:

• Snapdragon^® 8 Elite for Galaxy: The customized chipset in collaboration with Qualcomm pushes its performance to the limit, ensuring high-speed gameplay, enhanced responsiveness and high-quality visuals for even the most demanding titles.

Alongside the Galaxy S25 series, visitors can see Samsung’s ultimate hardware innovation featuring the most ultra-slim design yet on Galaxy S25 Edge.

With its commitment to democratizing mobile AI experiences, Samsung will unveil the new Galaxy A series, — including the Galaxy A56 5G, A36 5G and A26 5G — which integrates Awesome Intelligence, making the latest powerful Galaxy AI technology accessible to even more users. The Galaxy A series also takes the camera experience to a new level with creator-focused tools including the fan-favorite Object Eraser. Expanding Samsung’s AI-driven innovations, the new A series delivers reliable performance and long-term value, supported by six OS upgrades and six years of security updates for an ever-evolving, always-secure experience that lasts.

Elevating Everyday Life With AI

Visitors at MWC 2025 will also have the chance to explore how Samsung is enhancing everyday life at home and bringing new levels of control and insight into users’ health journey with intelligent, connected experiences.

In a zone all about new ways to stay healthy, the types of AI-driven daily health insights at Galaxy S25 users’ fingertips will be on display, including Energy Score, Wellness Tips and Sleep Insights. These features offer detailed and personalized health experiences that provide a holistic view of the user’s health status all tailored to individual health data and interests. With examples showing seamless integration with connected apps like SmartThings and Samsung Food, users can see how Samsung is working to build an end-to-end healthcare experience that simplifies wellness for everyone.

The booth will also bring to life new AI-powered capabilities that allow users to safely and conveniently manage the home through device-to-device connectivity. Protected by Knox Matrix security, Home AI scenarios will showcase smart living with easy device setup and control enabled by the SmartThings platform.

Cutting-Edge Innovation Built on a Strong Galaxy Foundation

Security is at the core of Samsung’s AI advancements, ensuring every experience is built on user control, transparency and robust protection. In a zone for the Galaxy Foundation, helpful information about the Personal Data Engine⁹ — which ensures personalized data generated on device is protected from access by apps other than Galaxy AI and further secured by Knox Vault¹⁰ — will be available.

Samsung will unveil its first Android XR headset, Project Moohan, offering a glimpse into the future of AI-powered extended reality. By integrating multimodal AI with advanced XR capabilities, this ground-breaking device marks a significant step toward more context-aware and personalized experiences that enhance everyday life in incredibly immersive ways.

Visitors can explore these AI innovations first-hand at Samsung’s Galaxy Experience Booth in Fira Gran Via Hall 3.

Realizing an End-to-End Software Network, Where AI Unleashes Its Full Potential

Along with innovative mobile technologies, Samsung will present how it is advancing next-generation networks with AI at a private booth. As a global leader in virtualized and open networks, Samsung offers end-to-end software-based solutions to operators, empowering them to optimize their foundations to apply AI in every layer of their networks.

Key highlights of the booth include Samsung’s versatile virtualized RAN (vRAN) solution, its latest 5G radios and Samsung CognitiV Network Operations Suite (NOS), an, intelligent network automation solution. Diverse enterprise 5G use cases will be on display as well.

Samsung will also showcase its continued efforts in elevating software-based networks by leveraging its robust partner ecosystem, which spans servers, processors (CPUs, GPUs), cloud platforms, transport and more. Furthermore, visitors at the booth will see how Samsung CognitiV NOS can bring greater benefits to telecom operators across lifecycle management of its network from installation, operation to optimization. As a set of diverse AI-powered applications, this automation solution works as a key enabler to boosting performance, increasing the energy efficiency of the network in a more intelligent manner.

One of the most eye-catching sections of the booth is the private 5G network zone. Samsung recently collaborated with Hyundai to complete the industry’s first end-to-end Reduced Capability (RedCap) trial over a private 5G network. Using Samsung’s advanced private 5G solutions, the companies proved the potential of next-generation industrial private 5G connectivity by improving the battery life and energy efficiency of 5G IoT devices.

This private booth¹¹ will be located in Fira Gran Via Hall 2.

¹ Samsung account login may be required to use certain Galaxy AI features. Samsung does not make any promises, assurances or guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the output provided by AI features. Availability of Galaxy AI features may vary depending on the region/country, OS/One UI version, device model, and phone carrier. Galaxy AI features will be provided for free until the end of 2025 on supported Samsung Galaxy devices. Different terms may apply for AI features provided by third parties. Galaxy AI service may be limited for minors in certain regions with age restrictions over AI usage.
² Requires internet connection and Google Account login. Service availability may vary by country, language, device model. Works on compatible apps. Features may differ depending on subscription and results may vary. Set up may be required for certain functions or apps. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.
³ Service availability may vary by country, language, device model. Requires internet connection. Users may need to update Android and Google app to the latest version. Works on compatible apps and surfaces. Results may vary depending on visual matches. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.
⁴ Gemini Live feature requires internet connection and Google Account login. Service availability may vary by country, language, device model. Features may differ depending on subscription and results may vary. Compatible with certain features and certain accounts. Only available to users 18 years or older. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.
⁵ Now Brief feature requires Samsung Account login. Service availability may vary by country, language, device model, or apps. Some features may require a network connection.
⁶ Availability of functions supported within the apps may vary by country. Some functional widgets may require a network connection and/or Samsung Account login.
⁷ Drawing assist feature requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed.
⁸ Service availability may vary by language, region or carrier. Currently supported languages include Korean, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.
⁹ The Personal Data Engine functions under the condition that the Personal Data Intelligence menu is on. Analyzed data will be deleted once the Personal Data Intelligence menu is turned off. Personal Data Engine recognizes select languages and certain accents/dialects, including but not limited to Arabic, (Simplified) Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese. Personal Data Engine currently analyzes Samsung native applications.
¹⁰ Security features or hardware/software architecture of Samsung Knox Vault on Samsung Galaxy A series smartphones may differ from those on Samsung Galaxy flagship devices including S series, Z series, S FE series smartphones and Tab S series tablets launched from 2021 onwards. Availability of Samsung Knox Vault may vary depending on the device model.
¹¹ Invitation Only.

Samsung Electronics today announced that the company is teaming up with IBM as the mission-critical (MCX) solution provider to the UK’s Home Office, for a User Services deployment as part of the Emergency Services Network (ESN). This selection marks Samsung’s first major mission-critical project in the U.K., reinforcing the company’s continued growth in the region and expanding on its successful multi-generation commercial networks business using virtualized RAN (vRAN) and Open RAN technologies.

This milestone underscores Samsung’s commitment to advancing mission-critical networks globally, supporting government agencies to keep communities safe. Designed to prioritize network access for first responders in emergencies, ESN will deliver reliable and seamless connectivity to over 300,000 first responders in the U.K.

Alongside IBM and other industry-leading partners, Samsung will support the core mission-critical communications systems with its best-in-class MCX solution, which is backed by Samsung’s deep expertise honed from successful nationwide public safety network deployments in the U.S. and Korea. Samsung’s MCPTX solution will enable intuitive multimedia sharing in real-time, allowing first responders to assess emergency situations more accurately as well as act with enhanced responsiveness.

“As mission-critical communications are of the utmost importance for the nation’s security and protection of its citizens, Samsung is proud to take part in this program to evolve public safety networks in the U.K.,” said Everth Flores, Vice President and Head of Samsung Networks Europe. “At the heart of this collaboration lies Samsung’s undisputed technological competence, on top of the solid trust that we have garnered with our successful mission-critical solution deployments around the globe. Harnessing the momentum of this milestone, Samsung will continue to contribute to building a more secure, connected society.”

“We are proud to support the Emergency Services Network (ESN) in delivering a secure and resilient communications platform to empower frontline emergency services,” said Rahul Kalia, Managing Partner at IBM UK and Ireland. “Working with our ecosystem partners, we will deliver mission-critical services for first responders to enhance safety in our communities across Great Britain. We look forward to working with the Government to deliver this in a timely and cost-effective manner.”

With its full suite of mission-critical solutions, Samsung has accumulated its expertise in the public safety sector globally by working together with leading operators and government stakeholders on successful MCPTX deployments, starting with building the world’s first 3GPP standard-compliant nationwide public safety network in South Korea. The company also worked with one of the largest national operators in the U.S. to bring America’s first-ever nationwide MCPTX solution. More recently in Canada, Samsung teamed up with Tier 1 operator to deploy the country’s first MCPTX solution in 2022.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver boundless connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Samsung Electronics today announced that the company has been selected by KDDI as a main vendor to provide 4G and 5G O-RAN compliant virtualized Radio Access Network (vRAN) solutions for their Open RAN deployment in Japan. In line with KDDI’s vision to adopt leading-edge network technology, the companies will expand the reach of Open RAN in the coming years.

Starting from 2025, KDDI will expand its Open RAN deployment leveraging the advantages of a fully disaggregated and software-based architecture powered by Samsung vRAN. KDDI’s Open RAN network will feature enhanced capabilities for improved energy efficiency, optimized performance and intelligent automation.

“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. “Today’s announcement represents KDDI’s dedication to bringing innovative technologies to Japan. We are proud to deliver a cutting-edge and reliable radio access network.”

“With our unwavering innovative spirit, Samsung continuously takes the initiative to develop and adopt the latest mobile technologies. Together with KDDI, we are thrilled to take this significant step and strengthen our presence in Japan,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to supporting KDDI’s trailblazing journey toward network excellence by providing best-in-class solutions that exceed their quality standards.”

For this expanded collaboration, Samsung is bringing its comprehensive network solutions ranging from its vRAN 3.0 solution, a full suite of O-RAN compliant radios supporting low- and mid-bands including advanced Massive MIMO radios and third-party radio integration support. It also offers key features of the Samsung CognitiV Networks Operations Suite (NOS), an intelligent solution that automates the life cycle management of large-scale vRAN buildouts. The features streamline the onboarding, deployment and operation processes, enabling KDDI to transform its widespread network efficiently.

Samsung is enriching KDDI’s network deployment by leveraging its robust ecosystem that consists of industry-leading partners and their solutions. The deployment will be carried out in close collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (servers), Intel (processors) and Red Hat (cloud platform).

KDDI and Samsung have been collaborating on vRAN and Open RAN since 2021. Over the years, the companies have solidified their global leadership in the emerging Open RAN and vRAN space, achieving milestones such as the world’s first commercial 5G Standalone Open RAN site in the Greater Tokyo area, and launching commercial Open RAN sites in Osaka. Samsung’s extensive expertise — derived from real-world rollout experience at scale — underpins this Open RAN deployment.

Since unveiling its fully virtualized 5G RAN in 2020, Samsung has consistently been recognized as the leading Open RAN and vRAN vendor by global analyst firms like Omdia and Dell’Oro.

“Open RAN and vRAN are at the heart of mobile networks innovation and transformation and Samsung has continuously demonstrated its leadership in this space,” said Rémy Pascal, Principal Analyst Mobile infrastructure at Omdia. “These technologies have been thoroughly tested, and KDDI’s Open vRAN expansion powered by Samsung will not only enable KDDI to continue delivering first-rate services to Japanese customers and meet their evolving needs but also build a more efficient, automated and future-ready network.”

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver boundless connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Samsung Electronics and O₂ Telefónica today announced that the companies have launched their first virtualized RAN (vRAN) and Open RAN commercial site in Germany. It is the first time that Samsung’s 5G vRAN solution is being used in a commercial network in Germany. The site is now operating in Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria, providing high-performance and reliable 4G and 5G services to customers. In the coming months, the companies will expand the vRAN and Open RAN network to seven additional sites in the region, aiming to further extend the Open RAN footprint.

This milestone builds on the companies’ joint initiative, announced in October 2023, where they agreed to develop a roadmap for several tests of vRAN and Open RAN technologies. Following the extensive trials, O₂ Telefónica and Samsung are now progressing from lab to field with the launch of this first commercial site.

▲ O2 Telefónica and Samsung switched on their first vRAN and Open RAN commercial site in Germany

“We are taking another big step in our Open RAN journey. Together with Samsung, we are utilizing the latest Open RAN technologies in our mobile network. On the way to the network of the future, we are integrating new network solutions to provide our customers with outstanding connectivity. Open RAN is a building block that can help us to automate our network, deploy new updates faster and use network components more flexibly,” said Mallik Rao, Chief Technology & Information Officer of O₂ Telefónica.

“Samsung is setting new standards for excellence in the telecommunications industry with our innovative vRAN and Open RAN capabilities. Celebrating Telefónica’s 100th anniversary, we are proud to be the key partner for O₂ Telefónica on their trailblazing journey to usher in a new era of connectivity in Germany,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics.

Open RAN and vRAN: Bringing Greater Flexibility and Automation

O₂ Telefónica is building an even more efficient and future-proof network leveraging modern and advanced RAN technologies, open interfaces and automation capabilities. Open RAN enables greater flexibility in the mobile network. Based on open interfaces, operators can combine network components from different providers and integrate them into their network.

Software-centric vRAN helps the adoption of cloud-native architecture, allowing network operators to better automate functions, introduce new technologies and services to their networks quickly and efficiently. This is important for accelerating network buildouts and adopting new 5G applications, including use cases that require low response speeds, such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) or latency-critical applications for enterprises.

▲ O₂ Telefónica is providing reliable mobile connectivity to its customers, leveraging Samsung’s 4G and 5G vRAN and Open RAN solutions

Samsung’s Advanced and Proven Network Solutions

The companies have successfully switched on this first commercial site just three months after the initial shipment of 4G and 5G solutions, leveraging Samsung’s expertise and pre-validated ecosystem proven from large-scale commercial vRAN and Open RAN deployments across the globe.

For the initial deployments, Samsung’s offering includes its market-leading 4G and 5G vRAN 3.0 solution and O-RAN compliant radios supporting low- and mid-bands (700MHz, 800MHz, 1.8GHz 2.1GHz, 2.6GHz and 3.6GHz), including 64T64R Massive MIMO radios. Samsung’s advanced vRAN 3.0 features enhanced capabilities for improved energy efficiency, optimized performance and intelligent automation.

As the next step, the companies will introduce Samsung’s intelligent network automation solutions to control life cycle management — from deployment and operation to maintenance. This O-RAN compliant automation solution offers the ability to accelerate innovative software-based network rollouts by enabling automated deployment of thousands of network sites simultaneously.

About O₂ Telefónica
O₂ Telefónica is a leading full-service provider of telecommunications services for consumers and business customers. The portfolio of the core brand O₂ and various secondary and partner brands includes not only traditional telephony and Internet connections but also innovative digital services in the area of the Internet of Things and data analysis. In mobile communications, O₂ Telefónica serves more than 45 million mobile lines (incl. M2M – as of December 31, 2023). No other network operator connects more people in this country. The company’s high-performance, award-winning mobile network reaches over 99% of the population. In the fixed network, O₂ Telefónica offers its customers the greatest technological diversity and geographical availability of any provider in Germany. In fiscal year 2023, the company generated revenues of EUR 8.6 billion with around 7,500 employees. The company is majority-owned by the Madrid-based Spanish telecommunications group Telefónica S.A., one of the largest telecommunications groups in the world.

Samsung Electronics today announced that it has been selected by Vodafone Romania to deploy its fully virtualized RAN software (vRAN) and radio solutions for the Open RAN rollout across Romania. This commercial deployment will cover major urban cities in Romania to deliver high-quality, stable commercial network services to Vodafone’s customers.

Samsung will provide its vRAN solutions supporting multi-RAT, automation solutions and Open RAN-compliant triple-band radios as well as 5G Massive MIMO radios. Samsung’s triple-band radio combines 700MHz, 800MHZ and 900MHz frequency bands into one compact radio that provides multi-spectrum coverage for 2G, 4G and 5G, enabling increased network capacity, greater flexibility and a smaller footprint.

Samsung’s software-based vRAN solution supports multiple generations of network technologies in a single platform — including 2G — which is an important spectrum for Internet of Small Things (IoST), machine-to-machine (M2M) communications and voice communications for roaming services in Europe.

“The momentum behind Open RAN technologies, in Vodafone and amongst our partners, is building,” said Alberto Ripepi, Chief Network Officer at Vodafone Group. “As new technologies like generative AI take root and are embedded within businesses, factories, and healthcare practices, they will require intelligence-based powerful networks to support them. Open RAN is designed to do just that.”

“As our collaboration with Vodafone continues to make strides across Europe, this rollout in Romania will mark a significant milestone that underscores our dedication to network innovation,” said Woojune Kim, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our pioneering network solutions will propel Vodafone Romania’s transformation journey, providing a flexible and powerful way to realize the full potential of Open RAN. We look forward to combining our diverse experiences together to reshape the future of connectivity.”

This announcement follows Samsung’s pilot project with Vodafone last year in Romania. The companies completed the first 4G calls over shared commercial Open RAN in Romania’s rural areas. Samsung is collaborating with Vodafone to support its Open RAN initiative in both rural and urban areas of Romania, helping the operator transition to an open network architecture.

Since switching on the U.K.’s first 5G Open RAN site in 2022, Vodafone and Samsung have been validating Open RAN technology in a brownfield, urban environment, reaching KPIs that matched or exceeded legacy kit. Making continuous progress in Europe, back in August 2023, the companies announced their massive Open RAN rollout in the U.K., a key stage in Vodafone’s plan to equip 30% of all its European sites with Open RAN by 2030.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Following TELUS’ selection of Samsung as its 5G network vendor in June 2020, this revolutionary approach to infrastructure deployment embodies the essence of collaboration, bringing together manufacturers and providers to create a modular, state-of-the-art wireless network. It is also one of the first truly virtualized Open RAN deployments within a complex, brownfield network environment.

With an Open RAN, TELUS is able to use components from different manufacturers that best meet its needs, while a virtualized radio access network (vRAN) allows the use of software instead of hardware. This provides TELUS with faster access to the latest technologies as they become available, helping enhance customer experiences and fuel network innovation, while increasing opportunities for equipment vendors.

“This is a very exciting milestone for TELUS and the industry overall, as we now have the most flexible way to offer a diversified set of services to Canadians, unlocking new levels of mobile experiences,” said Nazim Benhadid, Chief Technology Officer at TELUS. “We are proud to be the first Canadian telecommunications company to integrate this cutting-edge technology, together with Samsung and our other partners.”

“Innovation is not a result, but a continuous process that transforms our daily lives,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “TELUS and Samsung have been spearheading a meaningful transformation in mobile communications and we look forward to continuing to unleash the full benefits of software-centric innovation, by advancing our industry-leading vRAN and Open RAN.”

The companies have extensively tested both the vRAN and Open RAN rollout in select Canadian markets with excellent results, validating the telco-grade performance and reliability of multi-vendor Open RAN technology, powered by Samsung’s vRAN solutions. Commercial deployment will begin in the first half of this year and a large-scale network rollout is expected to begin mid-2024.

For this expanded collaboration, Samsung will deliver its versatile vRAN software and proven Open RAN compliant solutions, including its 64T64R Massive MIMO radios, as well as the support for third-party radio integration. Samsung’s solutions include its latest vRAN 3.0 for 4G and 5G, which features enhanced capabilities for improved energy savings, optimized performance and intelligent automation via Samsung’s Service Management and Orchestration (SMO). Samsung’s AI-based SMO will help TELUS accelerate vRAN rollouts at scale by enabling automated deployment of thousands of network sites simultaneously. It will also provide TELUS with a comprehensive set of capabilities for end-to-end automation for multi-party solutions, enabling easier deployment, operation and optimization of their network.

TELUS’ bold approach to embrace a multi-vendor Open RAN brownfield deployment leverages other ecosystem collaborations as well. Cloud infrastructure will be provided by Wind River, tapping the company’s experience in real-time operating systems and cloud-native, distributed edge platforms. Additionally, Hewlett Packard Enterprise will deliver HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen11 servers featuring 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor with Intel vRAN Boost, that are workload optimized for Open RAN while being open and flexible, providing the foundation for a Distributed Unit (DU).

“vRAN and Open RAN remain at the forefront of network transformation, with Samsung continuing to demonstrate leadership in proving virtualized Open RAN’s ability to deliver high performance and efficiency in commercial 5G networks,” said Stefan Pongratz, Vice President and Analyst at the Dell’Oro Group. “Introducing vRAN and Open RAN into the Canadian market with TELUS represents another formidable step in the re-shaping of the RAN for long-term advantage.”

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with more than $18 billion in annual revenue and over 18 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS’ global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.

Operating in 32 countries around the world, TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content moderation, for global and disruptive brands across strategic industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, banking, financial services and insurance, healthcare and others.

TELUS Health is a global healthcare leader, which provides employee and family primary and preventive healthcare and wellbeing solutions. Our TELUS team, along with our 100,000 health professionals, are leveraging the combination of TELUS’ strong digital and data analytics capabilities with our unsurpassed client service to dramatically improve remedial, preventive and mental health outcomes covering more than 69 million lives, and growing, around the world. As the largest provider of digital solutions and digital insights of its kind, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods enables efficient and sustainable production from seed to store, helping improve the safety and quality of food and other goods in a way that is traceable to end consumers.

Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS and our team to contribute $1.6 billion, including 2.2 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us at @TELUSNews on X and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For the series of tests carried out in Samsung’s lab in Dallas, Texas, the companies used Samsung’s market-leading radios compliant with O-RAN specifications. The tests included multiple Samsung radios including CAT-A radios 4T4R supporting 700/850 MHz and AWS/PCS bands, CAT-B 64T64R Massive MIMO C-Band radios and 16T16R C-band and CBRS dual-band radios.

The tests underscore Samsung’s Massive MIMO leadership, specifically with its 64T64R Massive MIMO radio which Verizon has already deployed throughout its large-scale commercial vRAN networks nationwide. Results from the tests illustrate Samsung’s capability to handle advanced Massive MIMO radio integration, which is more complex for 64T64R Massive MIMO radios compared to simple CAT-A radios.

Using Keysight Technologies’ O-RAN distributed unit (O-DU) emulator, the companies tested O-RAN mandatory and optional beamforming capabilities in the same Massive MIMO unit and delivered promised performance gains. This level of conformance testing helps ensure that new O-RAN networks will perform as expected while delivering the full capabilities that next-generation 5G solutions enable.

“We’re excited to achieve Open RAN conformance across five key radios in our portfolio compliant with the latest O-RAN and 3GPP standards,” said Jisha Hall, Vice President of Operations, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics America. “This joint work shows how Samsung is empowering forerunning operators like Verizon to deploy virtualized Open RAN, backed by our strong ecosystem and proven expertise in commercial networks for Tier 1 operators in North America, Europe and Asia.”

“O-RAN is a very important component of our network evolution strategy,” said Steven Rice, Vice President of Network Planning, Verizon. “By leveraging O-RAN radios and software-driven infrastructure with industry-leading partners like Samsung and Keysight, we continue to drive the industry towards a more open, interoperable environment which will provide greater flexibility, greater innovation and better performance for our customers.”

“Keysight is excited to have partnered with Samsung and Verizon on successful Open RAN testing and looks forward to continued collaboration to advance next-generation network solutions,” said Peng Cao, Vice President and General Manager, Wireless Test Group at Keysight. “Our leadership in O-RAN standards and testing empowers the industry to confidently build, test and deploy cutting-edge, interoperable Open RAN solutions in real-world networks.”

In 2021, Samsung supported the commercial launch of Verizon’s first 5G C-band networks with its vRAN solution. This led to establishing another milestone in 2022, with Samsung successfully building the world’s largest vRAN commercial network. The continued collaboration between Samsung and Verizon reinforces their commitment to O-RAN and leadership in enabling virtualized open networks with greater flexibility, faster time-to-market and unmatched performance.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Samsung Electronics and O₂ Telefónica today announced that the companies will test advanced cloud-native vRAN (“virtualized Radio Access Network”) and Open RAN technologies in Germany. The two technologies enable network operators to set up even more flexible network architectures in which hardware and software are separated from each other and individual components are virtualized. The companies agreed to plan out a roadmap consisting of several tests in both lab and field.

O₂ Telefónica and Samsung will begin conducting initial tests of 4G and 5G vRAN and Open RAN technologies in a lab located at Munich, Germany. The companies will then carry out field tests in a commercial 5G network in Landsberg am Lech, with the goal to achieve technical and operational readiness. O₂ Telefónica, one of the leading mobile telecommunications providers in Germany, is transforming its network architecture towards one of the most efficient and future-proof networks built on modern RAN technologies, open interfaces and automation features.

“We believe cloud-native and autonomous architecture is a central pillar of network transformation to accelerate the adoption of innovative services, and O₂ Telefónica is working with the best players in the field,” said Mallik Rao, Chief Technology & Information Officer at O₂ Telefónica in Germany. “We are delighted to team up with Samsung as one of the first telecommunications providers in the European Union to test new networking solutions. We look forward to delivering the best-in-class connectivity to bring a host of new benefits to customers in the future.”

“Samsung is leading the charge in advancing vRAN and Open RAN with its proven expertise in large-scale commercial networks across multiple continents,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “This collaboration with O₂ Telefónica in Germany represents Samsung’s ongoing commitment to forging new pathways in vRAN and Open RAN, bringing the next-generation networks one step closer.”

The vRAN solution aims to support O₂ Telefónica’s way to have more computation in an elastic cloud environment, which will have positive impacts on automation, availability, deployment speed and flexible capacity steering. It also supports low latency use cases like VR/AR as well as high availability use cases in the business segment.

Open RAN disaggregation will enable more flexibility and automation in the RAN environment, as it offers open interfaces with more possibilities to develop new use cases for customers and network operation. It also provides the opportunity to integrate multiple components from different suppliers in one network.

For this collaboration, Samsung will provide its market leading 4G and 5G vRAN software and Open RAN-compliant radios supporting low- and mid-bands, including 3.5 GHz Massive MIMO radios. Samsung’s vRAN solution offers greater flexibility and outstanding performance, backed by its proven commercial track record. Leveraging the advantages of fully disaggregated and software-based architecture, Samsung’s vRAN solution also features enhanced capabilities for intelligent automation and energy savings, which help operators build more efficient and sustainable networks.

As multi-vendor integration is essential in building a robust vRAN and Open RAN ecosystem, industry-leading players — Dell Technologies (Dell PowerEdge servers), Intel (Xeon ® Scalable Processor) and Wind River (Cloud Platform) will also join this commercial pilot delivering best-in-class solutions.

Throughout the trial, the companies will also test intelligent network automation solutions to control life cycle management — from deployment and operation to maintenance — with just a simple click. Leveraging Samsung’s Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), which is an Open RAN-compliant solution, mobile operators can accelerate innovative software-based network rollouts by enabling automated deployment of thousands of network sites simultaneously.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

About O₂ Telefónica
O₂ Telefónica is a leading full-service provider of telecommunications services for consumers and business customers. The portfolio of the core brand O₂ and various secondary and partner brands includes not only traditional telephony and Internet connections but also innovative digital services in the area of the Internet of Things and data analysis. In mobile communications, O₂ Telefónica serves more than 44 million mobile lines (incl. M2M — as of December 31, 2022). No other network operator connects more people in this country. The company’s high-performance, award-winning mobile network reaches over 99% of the population. In the fixed network, O₂ Telefónica offers its customers the greatest technological diversity and geographical availability of any provider in Germany. Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG is listed on the TecDAX and MDax. In fiscal year 2022, the company generated revenues of EUR 8.2 billion with around 7,250 employees. The company is majority-owned by the Madrid-based Spanish telecommunications group Telefónica S.A., one of the largest telecommunications groups in the world. 

“Samsung has been raising the bar on what’s possible with vRAN and Open RAN, and we are delighted to work with Vodafone and Orange to be part of the first Open RAN sharing initiative in Romania,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “As we continue to expand our footprint across Europe, including the recent large-scale Open RAN deployments in the U.K., we continue to push our innovative boundaries, empowering networks in Europe.”

Following Vodafone UK’s Open RAN deployment and the successful integration tests in Orange’s Open RAN lab in France, Samsung provided its multi-RAT vRAN software as well as Open RAN-compliant radios for this initiative. As part of their pilot project, both operators have already achieved successful 4G calls over their respective Open RAN sharing sites and will soon introduce 2G, which has already been tested successfully in the lab, and then 5G. It will be the first time 2G is fully integrated within a commercial Open RAN sharing environment in Europe.

Earlier this year, Vodafone and Orange announced their intention to trial Open RAN with RAN sharing across Europe. By allowing the sharing of network components, RAN sharing helps reduce hardware costs, energy consumption and the need for duplicate sites. RAN sharing will help advance wide-scale Open RAN adoption in Europe.

This milestone represents the capabilities of Open RAN, to modernize legacy hardware-based mobile networks, bringing more sustainability and intelligence to the RAN, as well as the ability to more quickly and efficiently introduce new services.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

The SCO now supports automation of vRAN deployments on both private and public clouds, enabling network services to be provisioned across multiple cloud environments, and this multi-cloud capability offers a highly flexible scaling option for operators, tailored to various deployment scenarios.

Samsung delivered SCO for virtualized RAN to Tier One operators in Asia, Europe and North America, leveraging the solution to bring greater efficiencies to their network deployment and operation.

“Automation adds incredible value for operators who are rapidly shifting to software-centric networks. With our enhanced Samsung Cloud Orchestrator, operators have a necessary platform to deploy and manage their vRAN with maximum efficiency and greater flexibility,” said June Moon, Executive Vice President, Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “This is part of Samsung’s goal to leverage our wide-scale commercial vRAN deployment experience to develop and introduce intuitive tools that take vRAN to the next level.”

For virtualized and Open RAN network operators, SCO enables them to simplify manually intensive tasks from the very start of network creation. It is an integrated automation platform that supports end-to-end process coordination through a centralized portal, where users can view and control the status of their network in one unified platform.

The key process-improving capabilities delivered by SCO include the following:

• Onboarding: Operators can leverage this solution to prepare packages to be installed at each site and automatically perform deployment tasks on a scheduled basis. This allows operators to easily implement their own CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment) environment. It verifies package version and file formats and automatically checks for missing components in the package.
• Deployment: Operators can distribute numerous vRAN software packages and containers needed to launch large groups of cell sites with one click from a centralized location — reducing the overall deployment time. It also helps simplify the configuration process of each cell site through centralized management of tasks.
• Operation: SCO can provide automatic vRAN software upgrades, healing and scaling, to ensure the resilience of each network, enabling operators to maintain optimal network conditions by performing these tasks remotely on a massive scale.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

The evolution of mobile network technology has changed our lives gradually and dramatically. Such progress has seeped into our everyday lives and changed the way we communicate, spend our free time, and how we work.

Until the year 2010, communication was mostly voice and text-based. Over the past 13 years, we’ve seen consistent technology advancements from 4G to 5G and beyond, and we’re now able to enjoy ultra-high-definition, large-capacity multimedia content, anytime, anywhere.

Mobile network technology has redefined the cultural landscape of connections at all levels — between people to people, business to business and industry to industry.

Software Is at the Heart of Mobile Network Evolution, Moving Toward Virtualization

At Samsung, we have been focused on identifying the key technology that will drive mobile network transformation and we think the answer is software.

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen once said, “software is eating the world.” Just like this famous phrase, global industries are being ‘eaten’ by software and this dynamic transition is called ‘virtualization’ in the network infrastructure world. Whereas hardware is the foundation for traditional networks, virtualization is all about shifting to software.

Virtualization lets you transform many hardware functions and features into software, allowing various services to run on a single hardware platform. Simply put, it works similar to downloading and regularly updating a range of apps on your smartphone.

vRAN Will Eat up the Network Infrastructure World

Samsung has been spearheading the shift toward network virtualization and openness. We introduced the first fully virtualized Radio Access Network also known as vRAN. Although vRAN currently accounts for just 3 percent¹ of the global RAN market, it is a pioneering technology that the industry is watching closely.

Samsung has been a forerunner in the innovative path to vRAN, proving our outstanding performance and wide-scale commercialization capabilities in the real-world, leading expansion in major 5G markets, including Asia, Europe and North America.

We supported the largest-scale commercial vRAN for the first time in the world with Verizon in 2020, and since then, have been providing stable and reliable 5G services to millions of customers. We also began our collaboration with DISH Wireless and Vodafone Group, actively expanding our vRAN footprint to new markets, including the U.K., Germany and beyond.

With the innovations that we are bringing to virtualization, we are creating the blueprint for next-generation networks. We are not only committed to advancing our technology, but more importantly, onboarding and growing the best software talents, which we believe is a central pillar to our achievements.

Samsung Networks Chipset: Packaging the Essence of Our Innovation and Technological Capabilities

The power of chipsets not only radiates through hardware-based networks, but also in software-centric virtualized architectures. While most functions and features are being turned into software, there are still integral parts of the network that remain as hardware. Therefore, the ability to pack advanced features into a tiny chipset is one of our invaluable asset.

Our competitive advantage stems from our unique combination of expertise in innovative software solutions and our comprehensive portfolio of hardware combined with our 5G network chipsets.

Samsung is the only major network vendor that has the capability to design, develop and manufacture 4G and 5G network chipsets in-house.

With the rising market demand for higher energy efficiency, as well as support for complex spectrum bands and reduced hardware footprint, there has been a stronger emphasis on chipset technologies.

Compared to previous generations, our latest 5G chipset reduces base station energy consumption by about 40 percent and antenna size by nearly half compared to previous products, and also includes support for multiple spectrum bands.

With a strong foundation built on over 40 years of experience in network technologies, we have managed to stay ahead of evolving market demands, introducing a compact and lightweight radio with high performance and energy efficiency.

Building a Better Tomorrow With Energy Savings Technology

The true value of innovation is not just about advancing technology, but it’s also about pursuing a better tomorrow. Ranging from software to AI and chipsets, sustainability has always been at the core of our product development strategy. Bringing our sustainability vision to life, we are introducing our newest energy saving features for vRAN at MWC this year.

As legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky once said, “a good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”

As we continue along our exciting journey, Samsung will always think a step ahead, anticipating future needs of our customers. And, as a pioneer in the mobile network industry, Samsung will continue to drive this paradigm shift by jumpstarting the next wave of unforeseen innovation.

¹ Source: Dell’Oro (3Q, 2022)

“Samsung is a key player in the DISH Wireless Open RAN ecosystem, created in collaboration with additional Open RAN leaders like Dell, VMware, AWS and others,” said Marc Rouanne, EVP and Chief Network Officer, DISH Wireless. “Samsung’s 5G vRAN solutions and our shared innovation process allow DISH Wireless to continue the DISH 5G multi-vendor, open and interoperable cloud-native network buildout, as we progress to covering 70 percent of the U.S. population.”

▲ Deployment and testing of the Samsung-supported sites for the DISH 5G network is underway.

Since the announcement of their multi-year agreement in May 2022, DISH Wireless and Samsung advanced their collaboration — progressing from field tests to successfully activating the first live Samsung sites within the DISH Wireless 5G network. For this rollout, Samsung provided its comprehensive portfolio of 5G solutions, including its virtualized distributed unit (vDU), virtualized central unit (vCU) and Open RAN-compliant 5G radios, which support the DISH spectrum bands. Samsung also built new dual-band and tri-band Open RAN-compliant radios specific for this deployment.

“DISH Wireless is an innovator in mobile technologies and we are thrilled to reach new heights of connectivity together, validating the immense potential that virtualization and openness can bring to the industry,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business, Samsung Electronics. “This milestone advances the wide-scale deployment of Samsung’s vRAN in the U.S. and we look forward to continuing our work with DISH Wireless to accelerate 5G expansion and lead the delivery of next-generation connectivity across the country.”

DISH Wireless and Samsung will continue to innovate within the DISH Open RAN architecture to provide their customers with reliable fast service and set the stage for DISH Wireless to offer enterprises a broad range of new services and enhanced capabilities.

About DISH Wireless

DISH Wireless, a subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation, is changing the way the world communicates with America’s First Smart Network. In 2020, the company became a nationwide U.S. wireless carrier through the acquisition of Boost Mobile. DISH continues to innovate in wireless, building the nation’s first virtualized, O-RAN 5G broadband network, and is inclusive of the Boost Infinite, Boost Mobile and Gen Mobile wireless brands. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is a Fortune 200 company.

¹ 24,000 delivered as of 12/31/2022

“Samsung’s 5G solutions will play an integral role in our network expansion, giving us the flexibility to deploy our cloud-native network with software-based solutions that support advanced services and operational scalability,” said John Swieringa, president and chief operating officer, DISH Wireless. “We look forward to working with Samsung, whose industry leadership in vRAN and O-RAN innovation will help support our vision of delivering open, interoperable cloud-based 5G services to consumers and enterprises across the U.S.”

“Samsung is excited to join this 5G journey with DISH, a pioneer in bringing new experiences to households and businesses around the country, leveraging openness and virtualization that sit at the heart of network evolution,” said Mark Louison, executive vice president and head of the Networks Business, Samsung Electronics America. “Our advanced 5G vRAN and radio solutions bring telco-grade quality and cloud-based agility together, building on these benefits to enable more customers to experience the full value of commercial 5G Open RAN.”

Samsung Networks Business will supply DISH Wireless with its 5G and RAN solutions, vRAN software and a variety of O-RAN compliant radio units, including Massive MIMO radios. Samsung’s vRAN can operate on any commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) server, while still delivering performance on par with traditional hardware-based equipment. With its cloud-native architecture, DISH Wireless’ Open RAN deployment is based on open interfaces, allowing for multi-vendor interoperability and various deployment scenarios. The Samsung radios will also support all of DISH’s Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrum bands (including n71, n29, n66, n70, n48 and n77).¹

Samsung and DISH 5G Network Collaboration

Handsets and Devices

DISH and Samsung’s collaboration will extend to retail wireless customers, providing them with leading-edge 5G devices, connecting customers to DISH Wireless’ SMART 5G network.

“Our work with DISH Wireless is bringing many of Samsung’s innovative mobile products and services to even more customers on the DISH network,” said Jude Buckley, executive vice president of the Mobile Business, Samsung Electronics America. “We are excited to continue to work together to bring Samsung’s powerful mobile products and services, which are compatible with the DISH network, to more customers.”

“Together, we’ll create solutions to bring DISH Wireless’ smart network to life for retail and enterprise customers, enhancing their productivity, enriching their connection to people and smart technology, improving their business operations and giving our customers control over their 5G services,” said Stephen Bye, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, DISH Wireless.

DISH is currently testing its 5G network using the Samsung Galaxy S22, and plans to continue using Samsung phones as a reference platform throughout the network deployment process.

About DISH
DISH Network Corporation is a connectivity company. Since 1980, it has served as a disruptive force, driving innovation and value on behalf of consumers. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides television entertainment and award-winning technology to millions of customers with its satellite DISH TV and streaming SLING TV services. In 2020, the company became a nationwide U.S. wireless carrier through the acquisition of Boost Mobile. DISH continues to innovate in wireless, building the nation’s first virtualized, O-RAN 5G broadband network. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is a Fortune 200 company.

¹ n71 (600MHz), n29 (700MHz), n66 (AWS: 1.7GHz/2.1GHz), n70 (AWS: 1.7GHz/1.9GHz), n48 (CBRS: 3.55GHz-3.7GHz), n77 (C-Band: 3.7GHz-3.98GHz)

Powered by Samsung’s vRAN, KDDI’s 5G network will deliver exceptional performance, enabling KDDI users to experience the full potential of 5G.

“We are delighted to extend our collaboration with Samsung and to become the first operator in Japan to use their 5G vRAN solutions, which are currently delivering superior performance in commercial networks,” said Kazuyuki Yoshimura, Chief Technology Officer of KDDI. “We believe in the power of virtualization, and this collaboration serves as a meaningful catalyst for driving the next phase of 5G innovation, and advancing our networks to offer best-in-class 5G services.”

With its latest 5G vRAN technology, Samsung brings a range of improvements to KDDI’s network. By replacing dedicated baseband hardware with software elements, vRAN offers more deployment flexibility, greater scalability and improved resource efficiency in network operation. With its cloud-native, container-based architecture, Samsung’s vRAN also simplifies end-to-end network management through automation, allowing operators to quickly introduce new services with minimal impact on deployment.

“With commercially-proven performance and reliability, our vRAN is an attractive technology option for operators — from both the deployment and operational perspectives,” said Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to mark another milestone with KDDI, following previous network collaborations that include the commercialization of 5G in 2020, and the rollout of 700MHz 5G in 2021. We look forward to our ongoing work with KDDI to bring new 5G innovations to their customers.”

Virtualized networks will play a key role in supporting KDDI’s pursuit of new 5G use cases and next-generation capabilities. Last year, for instance, Samsung and KDDI demonstrated how 5G end-to-end network slicing could play a key role for mobile operators by enabling the creation of multiple virtual networks within a single physical network infrastructure.

Samsung and KDDI will begin trials in Q1 of 2022, and start commercial deployment in the second half of 2022.

Leading vRAN Innovation

Samsung has been at the forefront of vRAN leadership around the world, unveiling its fully virtualized 5G RAN in 2020, followed by successful commercialization with a Tier 1 operator in the U.S. In June 2021, the company was selected by a major European operator to bring vRAN to the U.K.

Samsung recently demonstrated its vRAN capability to support Massive MIMO radios on mid-band, reaching multi-gigabit speeds. The company also teamed with a Tier 1 U.S. operator to complete an end-to-end 5G vRAN trial over C-Band in a live network environment, demonstrating vRAN performance equal to that of traditional hardware-based equipment.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

Samsung reached Wi-Fi downlink speeds of 1.8Gbps using a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra on a moving subway train in the trial. This speed is approximately 25 times faster than the current average speed of 71Mbps on Seoul’s subway lines. The use of Samsung’s 5G Compact Macro helped boost Wi-Fi data speeds by leveraging the ultra-high capacity of 5G mmWave spectrum as a backhaul.

This trial took place in parts of Seoul Metro, covering five stations on the subway line circulating through major downtown areas. The enhanced Wi-Fi service was powered by Samsung’s 5G mmWave Compact Macro, installed along the railways and utilizing 800MHz in the 28GHz spectrum band.

In addition to delivering faster Wi-Fi speeds, the wide bandwidth of mmWave enables exceptional mobile experience on smartphones and tablets in hotspots, such as sports stadiums and shopping malls. 5G use cases have expanded to various business areas including public transportation, such as high-speed trains, buses, and more.

“We are pleased to deliver an enhanced mobile experience, with faster download speeds and connections for subway passengers, leveraging our advanced 5G mmWave solution,” said Seungil Kim, Vice President and Head of Korea Business, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our successful speed trial on public transportation proves the high potential of 5G mmWave, demonstrating its capability to complement existing wireless technologies, and boosting the performance of legacy networks, all while providing a foundation for future telecommunication services.”

Samsung’s Compact Macro brings together a baseband unit, radio and antenna in a single form factor. This compact and lightweight solution can be easily installed on the sides of the buildings as well as on utility poles for a swift buildout of 5G networks. Samsung’s Compact Macro is the first 5G product to be listed on the U.S. National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) Product Compliant List (PCL) and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security’s Certified Product List.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end infrastructure solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

Besides the company’s hardware-bound RAN solutions, the development process of Samsung’s fully virtualized RAN (vRAN) was also verified by the NESAS. The company’s vRAN has been widely deployed to Tier-1 U.S. operator commercial networks, and selected to power Europe’s extensive virtual network project.

To pass the assessment, Samsung’s product development and lifecycle management processes for its network solutions underwent an independent audit to confirm how security is integrated into their design, development, implantation and maintenance processes.

The NESAS provides an industry-wide security assurance framework and defines the security requirements for product development and lifecycle processes, using 3GPP-defined security test cases. The audit of Samsung’s networks solutions, completed in July 2021, enables the company to increase the transparency of its entire development process, reaffirming its commitment to network security.

“We are pleased to be recognized by the NESAS security audit for our dedication to building secure and reliable networks,” said Sohyong Chong, Senior Vice President and Head of S/W R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “As a trusted partner to global operators, we will continue to ensure our product development and full lifecycle management processes of network equipment to achieve the highest security standards. This will be essential as the world evolves to a 5G framework that meets the high-performance and security demands of customers.”

This NESAS assessment follows Samsung’s continued achievements in network security, which include receiving the Common Criteria (CC) certification for its 5G solutions and the ISO/IEC 27001 certification earlier this year.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

Next-Level Capabilities With a Wide Range of Support

Leading global operators choose Samsung’s vRAN for its ensured quality, credibility and robustness, delivering performance similar to that of traditional hardware-based equipment. The company’s vRAN is primed to support mobile operators and enterprises with its ability to cover a wide range of spectrums—from low-band to mid-band—as well as its flexibility in terms of supporting solutions for both outdoor and indoor environments.

“Using the company’s own independently developed end-to-end vRAN software stack, Samsung’s solution boosts network performance and brings agility to the network. This in-house technology is the key feature of Samsung’s vRAN that distinguishes our solution from others in the industry,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “As a global leader in vRAN technology, we will continue to strengthen our vRAN capabilities, while aiming to maintain strong leadership in virtualized networks and redefining what is possible for 5G networks.”

Technological innovation has been key to Samsung’s leading advancement of virtualized solutions. The evolution of the company’s vRAN solution can be broken down into three different phases, which are outlined below.

□ First-Generation Virtualized RAN – The Virtualized Central Unit (vCU), Commercialized in 2019

Samsung successfully developed its vCU in 2016 to initiate virtualization in mobile networks. The vCU addresses upper layer processing functions in the RAN. It is generally installed in a centralized location of an operator’s network to reduce the number of anchor point handovers, improving network quality and reliability.

The company carried out multiple trials in Korea, Japan and the U.S. using its vCU and in 2019, successfully deployed this solution for the world’s first 5G commercial networks in Korea and the U.S.

□ Second-Generation Virtualized RAN – The Virtualized Distributed Unit (vDU), Commercialized in 2020

Harnessing its decades of experience and long-standing leadership in RAN technology, Samsung developed a vDU using its independently developed software stack to deliver outstanding performance.

The vDU is responsible for real-time processing functions, and can either reside with the vCU, or on-site with the radio. By allowing the vCU and vDU to be placed in different locations, vRAN offers cost-effective deployment and operation that meets a range of speed, latency, throughput and quality requirements.

In 2020, Samsung introduced its fully virtualized end-to-end 5G RAN solution, comprised of a vDU and vCU, which was later rolled out in collaboration with a leading U.S. operator. The solution’s launch made it the first technology of its kind to achieve wide-scale commercialization. Shortly after that, Samsung expanded its vRAN capability to become the first in the industry to provide support for the Massive MIMO radios on mid-band, demonstrating top 5G vRAN speeds. In this trial, Samsung’s vRAN achieved commercial network performance that was on par with traditional hardware-based equipment.

□ Next-Generation Virtualized RAN With Enhanced Capabilities – Increased Capacity With Hardware Accelerators, To Be Commercialized in 2022

This year, Samsung has taken vRAN to the next level with its own software stack along with a hardware accelerator, which further increases the capacity of its vRAN to support more cells. The hardware accelerator is a dedicated device that works with the CPU in COTS server to improve processing capacity.

Recently, Samsung completed the industry’s first vRAN data session over C-Band spectrum in a live network, leveraging its software-based vRAN running on COTS servers with the hardware accelerator. In this trial, which was conducted with a prominent U.S. operator, Samsung achieved speeds close to the theoretical peak.

Samsung’s journey to highly capable vRAN has been a long and challenging one. But now, with the company having delivered vRAN with C-band Massive MIMO support and having conducted a successful live network trial in the U.S., the future of vRAN looks bright.

“We have been driving the industry to large scale virtualization using the advanced architecture we have built into our network from the core to the far edge. This recent accomplishment paves the way for a more programmable, efficient, and scalable 5G network,” said Adam Koeppe, Senior Vice President of Technology Planning at Verizon. “Customers deserve more than mere access to 5G. They deserve 5G built with the highest, gold-standard engineering practices that have positioned Verizon as the most reliable industry leader for years.”

Why Virtualization Is Important for 5G Performance Optimization

The trials, conducted over Verizon’s network (using C-band Special Temporary Authority granted to Verizon by the FCC) in Texas, Connecticut and Massachusetts, used Samsung’s fully virtualized RAN (vRAN) solution built on its own software stack and C-band 64T64R Massive MIMO radio in coordination with Verizon’s virtualized core. The trials achieved speeds commensurate with traditional hardware-based equipment.

Virtualization is critical to delivering the services promised by advanced 5G networks. Key 5G use cases such as massive scale IOT solutions, more robust consumer devices and solutions, AR/VR, remote healthcare, autonomous robotics in manufacturing environments, and ubiquitous smart city solutions, will heavily rely on the programmability of virtualized networks.

Cloud native virtualized architecture leads to greater flexibility, faster delivery of services, greater scalability, and improved cost efficiency in networks, paving the way for wide-scale mobile edge computing and network slicing. This technology enables Verizon to rapidly respond to customers’ varied latency and computing needs. Virtualization will also lower the barrier to entry for new vendors in the ecosystem. New entrants will accelerate innovation, reduce operating costs, and lay the groundwork for flexible network and cloud infrastructure closer to the customer, eventually leading to single digit millisecond latency.

“We’re proud to mark another milestone following our first large-scale commercial 5G vRAN deployment for Verizon, which is currently servicing millions of users. This trial reinforces our commitment to helping operators evolve their advanced 5G networks,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “This achievement represents our dedicated efforts in leading the transition to virtualization, and helping Verizon realize greater efficiency, scalability and flexibility. vRAN is a powerful enabler for network transformation, and we aim to continue leading this journey.”

Why Massive MIMO Is Important for 5G Performance Optimization

Massive MIMO is an evolution in antenna arrays that uses a high number of transmitters which enables more possible signal paths between a device and a cell tower. It also reduces interference through beamforming, which directs the beam from the cell site directly to where the customer is resulting in higher and more consistent speeds for customers using apps and uploading and downloading files. This trial used Samsung’s C-band 64T64R Massive MIMO radios that support digital/dynamic beamforming, SU-MIMO, MU-MIMO and dual connectivity and carrier aggregation.

“Incorporating full, cloud-native virtualization, Massive MIMO and beamforming into our network design and deployment will result in so much more than our customers merely seeing a 5G icon on their devices. This is 5G service optimized for peak performance,” said Koeppe.

Today’s milestone follows Samsung’s recent announcement on expanding its vRAN capability to support mid-band Massive MIMO radios—a first for the industry. Samsung’s C-band Massive MIMO radio is part of a complete C-band solutions portfolio.

Verizon on Track To Deliver 5G Over C-band

This virtualization work comes on the heels of other work to speed the expansion of 5G Ultra Wideband service using C-band spectrum including:

• successful trials integrating C-band with mmWave licensed spectrum,
• securing new agreements with Verizon’s tower partners, which provide for process improvements including standardizing and reducing forms and minimizing legal reviews, and…
• installation of C-band equipment.

These combined efforts, along with ongoing lab and field trials to optimize 5G technology on C-band spectrum will allow Verizon to offer expanded mobility and broadband services to millions more consumers and businesses as soon as the spectrum is cleared.

In the first quarter of 2022, Verizon expects to put into service the new 5G C-band spectrum in the initial 46 markets and to provide 5G Ultra Wideband service to 100 million people. Over 2022 and 2023, coverage is expected to increase to more than 175 million people and by 2024 and beyond, when the remaining C-band spectrum is cleared, more than 250 million people are expected to have access to Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband service on C-band spectrum.

About Verizon Communications Inc.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

The announcement follows the launch of Samsung’s Networks Business in Australia in April 2021, and since then, the company has been exploring the delivery of Samsung’s leading 5G mmWave technologies to the nation.

TPG Telecom, a leading mobile network operator in Australia, operates a number of leading mobile and internet brands in Australia including Vodafone. Recently, TPG Telecom announced its investment of AU$108 million to acquire spectrum in all available license areas in the 26GHz band – tripling its total spectrum holdings. With abundant mmWave spectrum, TPG Telecom will be able to offer high speed data services and immersive use cases for its mobile and home users. TPG Telecom’s extensive fiber assets combined with a network of small cells will enable the deployment of vRAN architecture.

For the trial, Samsung will provide its Compact Macro and vRAN solution. Samsung’s latest 5G Compact Macro brings together a baseband, radio and antenna in a single form-factor. This compact and lightweight solution can be easily installed on the sides of buildings, as well as on utility poles, for the swift build-out of 5G networks. Samsung’s industry-leading commercial vRAN solution is built on the company’s independently developed stack, and runs on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) servers. As a leader in vRAN, Samsung has commercially deployed its vRAN solution in wide scale for global Tier 1 operators’ networks in markets outside of Australia, and recently expanded its capability to support 3.5GHz Massive MIMO radio, which many industry voices had said would be hard to support with vRAN. Moreover, Samsung’s 5G vRAN on mmWave, already commercially deployed in global markets, including Korea, Japan and the U.S, has the capacity to support multi-gigabit speeds, delivering IT technology efficiencies and deployment advantages, while offering transformational 5G mobile experiences.

“We are very pleased to partner with Samsung as part of our new Innovation Lab to drive product and technology innovation by trialing virtualization,” said Iñaki Berroeta, CEO at TPG Telecom. “Deploying mmWave spectrum on our 5G network together with vRAN architecture will allow us to develop exciting 5G use cases for industry verticals and enable the delivery of even faster speeds and greater capacity for our customers.”

“Samsung is excited to begin this trial with TPG Telecom powered by our innovative 5G vRAN solution and latest integrated 26GHz mmWave product, which will be the first in Australia,” said Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through a combination of our powerful 5G solutions and ongoing efforts in 5G development, Samsung looks forward to helping TPG Telecom gain the full benefits of 5G to reshape the value of mobile experiences for users and enterprises.”

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

About TPG Telecom
TPG Telecom (ASX:TPG) is an Australian telecommunications company which is home to some of Australia’s most-loved brands including Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, AAPT, Internode, Lebara and felix.

TPG Telecom owns and operates nationwide mobile and fixed networks that are connecting Australia for the better. These include Australia’s second-largest fixed voice and data network, with more than 27,000 kilometres of metropolitan and inter-capital fibre networks and a leading mobile network comprising more than 5,600 sites and covering over 23 million Australians.

As the second largest telecommunications company listed on the ASX, TPG Telecom has a strong challenger spirit and a commitment to delivering the best services and products to our customers.

For more information, visit https://www.tpgtelecom.com.au/

Topics covered during the event included Samsung’s 5G vision and latest network innovations; its industry leading virtualized solutions to bring innovation for mobile operators and enterprises; its new range of chipsets to be embedded in the Samsung’s next generation 5G solutions; and the company’s complete lineup of private network solutions to transform industries.

Check out some highlights from the event below.

At the event, Samsung Networks highlighted key developments in its global expansion, which includes delivery of over four million 5G-ready radios around the world. Samsung focused on how it is advancing virtualization to drive next-generation networks, and leading 5G radio innovation by embedding its radios with the company’s latest in-house chipsets.

“We are delighted to discuss the infinite possibilities of wireless technology, as we continue our 5G journey, and pave the way towards the next phase of 5G,” said Paul (Kyungwhoon) Cheun, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s 5G vision includes bringing together the best global expertise and technical insights that can help operators and consumers take full advantage of 5G benefits. We’re grateful that our customers and partners have joined us on this journey, and look forward to achieving many more 5G milestones together.”

The following are key areas of advancement that Samsung Networks leadership covered at the virtual event:

Virtualization

Virtualization of an entire network from Radio Access Network (RAN) to Core will offer multiple benefits to operators, bringing greater efficiency, scalability and flexibility in network management, as well as easier upgrades through software implementations. Recent vRAN accomplishments include the following solutions:

• Samsung vRAN has virtualized all elements of a baseband unit. Backed by years of R&D, Samsung deployed the industry’s first fully-virtualized commercial 5G RAN delivered end-to-end (Link). Recently, the company demonstrated the capability to support multi-gigabit speeds of Massive MIMO radios on COTS servers (Link), showing how the performance of vRAN technology is now near the performance of custom hardware solutions.

• Samsung vCore is built with a cloud-native containerized architecture, enabling operational automation while ensuring optimized performance. With high adaptability and scalability, Samsung 5G vCore allows network operators to quickly launch new services and upgrade per business needs. Since introducing its first virtualized Core in 2015, the company has successfully commercialized the world’s first 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) vCore, and achieved a significant milestone in data processing capacity on its 5G Standalone (SA) Core (Link).

• Network management solutions help optimize operational efficiencies in virtualized networks. Samsung Cloud Orchestration, known as SCO, coordinates an entirely automated process of network deployment and optimization. Samsung’s Network Slice Manager supports simplified management of slice resources, while AI-based analytics provides intelligent analysis of network performance.

5G Radios

Samsung has been pioneering 5G technology to support RAN solutions for more than a decade, through research, standardization and commercial rollouts of its highly competitive 5G solutions. New developments are:

• In-House Chipsets: Samsung continues its leadership in chipset research and development, with an expanded line-up of new chipsets, including a 3^rd generation RFIC, 2^nd generation 5G modem and DFE-RFIC integrated chip (Link), part of the company’s initiative to help foster compact and efficient, yet high-performing 5G solutions.

• New Solutions: Samsung continues to expand its 5G radio lineup. The company recently unveiled its wideband radio (Link) supporting 400MHz of bandwidth in mid-band, and designed to help operators drive more flexible and cost-effective deployments. Also introduced are the next generation 5G Compact Macro and baseband units, as well as its new One Antenna Radio (Link), a solution that delivers a more compact form factor with antenna integration, offering simplified installation and deployment efficiencies.

Private Networks

Samsung has the capability to build reliable and secure private networks, leveraging its comprehensive solutions portfolio. The company’s industry-leading 5G solutions offer a resilient backbone to private 5G networks, introducing use cases such as smart factories (Link) and a real-time 4K video monitoring system (Link). Samsung also provides end-to-end PS-LTE solutions, from network equipment to applications and devices. The company is powering the world’s first 3GPP-compliant nationwide PS-LTE network in Korea (Link), and accomplished the demonstration of the industry’s first MCPTX video call on a cloud platform (Link).

6G Future Vision

As part of its networks overview, Samsung Networks: Redefined shares Samsung’s vision of 6G technology, and the world it will help create. Samsung stays ahead in preparing for new generations of wireless technologies. The company led 5G research and development even before 4G deployments, and is already preparing for 6G. Now, the company is set to accelerate 6G innovation, bringing hyper-connected experiences to users (Link). Samsung recently explored the potential of the Terahertz (THz) spectrum application for 6G wireless communications, demonstrating an end-to-end 140GHz wireless link using a fully digital beamforming solution (Link).

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

In July 2020, Samsung unveiled its fully virtualized 5G RAN (vRAN) and earlier this year, announced the successful commercialization of its 5G vRAN for a Tier One U.S. operator.

Samsung vRAN is hardware-agonistic—where the baseband functions are decoupled from the underlying hardware and can operate over a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) server. With its cloud-native and container-based architecture, Samsung vRAN enables operators to freely allocate resources and automatically scale its components depending on network traffic patterns. Operators can also add new features and introduce next-generation technologies with ease. Another benefit of its cloud-native architecture is its automation capabilities, which dramatically simplify end-to-end network management. With Samsung vRAN, operators can quickly meet the evolving demands of new and existing services with minimal impact on deployment.

For additional information on Samsung vRAN, refer to our whitepapers: Virtualized RAN Vol. 1 and Virtualized RAN Vol. 2

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.