The test call was made on the Intel Xeon 6 SoC optimised 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 modernise 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 Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the successful completion of a multi-cell test at its R&D center, combining Samsung’s virtualised RAN (vRAN) software with NVIDIA’s accelerated computing platform. The test validates the performance of this integrated solution in a realistic network environment, marking a key step toward commercial deployment.

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 MIMO^[1] 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 commercialisation.

“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 commercialisation 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 commercialisation,” 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, virtualised 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.

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 action across apps^[2]: See how tasks like finding a restaurant at 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 Search^[3] with Google: Search your phone screen in more helpful and contextual ways like recognising 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 personalised content snapshot based on tailored insights, as well as proactive recommendations through Now Bar^[6].

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

• Drawing Assist^[7]: Users can take content creation to the next level with intelligent sketch refinement and enhancement.
• Gallery Search^[8]: Natural language-based search makes it easier than ever to find memories in situations.
• Filters: Explore unique portrait effects and new filter options to 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 customised 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 democratising the 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 Best Face^[9] and the fan-favourite 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 personalised 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 Engine^[10]—which ensures personalised data generated on device is protected from access by apps other than Galaxy AI and further secured by Knox Vault^[11]— 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 personalised 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.

Realising 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 virtualised and open networks, Samsung offers end-to-end software-based solutions to operators, empowering them to optimise their foundations to apply AI in every layer of their networks.

Key highlights of the booth include Samsung’s versatile virtualised 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 optimisation. 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 booth^[12] will be located in Fira Gran Via Hall 2.

[1] Samsung Account login is required to use certain Samsung AI features.

[2] Compatible with select languages only. Google account login and network connection required.

[3] Requires network connection. Availability of search functions and its supported apps may vary by country, language and device. Results may vary depending on visual matches.

[4] Gemini Live feature requires internet connection and Google Account login. 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] Samsung account login and network connection required.

[6] Samsung account login and network connection required.

[7] Requires a network connection and Samsung account login. Visible watermark is overlaid on the image to indicate that the image output is generated by AI. Accuracy of output 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] Best Face feature is available exclusively on the Galaxy A56 5G device from the Galaxy A series.

[10] The Personal Data Engine functions under the condition that the Personal Data Intelligence menu is on. Analysed data will be deleted once the Personal Data Intelligence menu is turned off. Personal Data Engine recognises 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 analyses Samsung native applications.

[11] 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.

[12] Invitation Only.

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 virtualisation 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:

Virtualisation

Virtualisation 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 virtualised all elements of a baseband unit. Backed by years of R&D, Samsung deployed the industry’s first fully-virtualised 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 containerised 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 virtualised Core in 2015, the company has successfully commercialised 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 optimise operational efficiencies in virtualised networks. Samsung Cloud Orchestration, known as SCO, coordinates an entirely automated process of network deployment and optimisation. 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, standardisation 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 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 virtualised 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.