Verizon: Open RAN adoption and virtualization

There are different flavors of Open RAN. Some call for virtualization of the RAN, and some don’t. Verizon sees virtualization and Open RAN as tightly linked: Open RAN expands the opportunities that 5G brings, but to succeed, it has to be deployed in a virtualized network.

Nirlay Kundu, Distinguished Engineer, Network Planning, Verizon, tells us how Verizon plans to introduce Open RAN in its fully virtualized 5G network, what the opportunities and challenges are, and how all the components – RU, DU, CU and RIC – will work together in a multivendor environment.

This interview is part of the Senza Fili Deep Dive report “The Open RAN ecosystem gathers steam. The future of the RAN is open.” Watch or download this conversation, or the full report for free.