1、 2022Whats next for RAN?Cloud RAN innovation and purpose-built evolutionThis paper aims to guide communication service providers(CSPs)interested in cloud network transformation on how to evolve their networks stepwise and cost effectively into Cloud RAN,while continuing to leverage purpose-built har

2、dware and the installed base.CSPs transformation to the cloud started in the IT domain,continued with Core network functionality,and is now taking the next step into the RAN.By using cloud technologies in the RAN,the Cloud RAN,CSPs can achieve“cloud economics”,create common and unified network opera

3、tions across all network domains and enable new offerings targeting enterprises and industries.Cloud economics means flexibility in deployment options and the possibility to create benefits of scale by using common,shared infrastructure across different network domains.With Cloud RAN,CSPs can manage

4、 the RAN following cloud-native principles,just as the cloud frontrunners have already started doing within their Core and IT domain.This brings a common and unified operational model,creating efficiencies and the ability to manage network complexity while leveraging processes and tools from the wid

5、er IT and cloud domains.This reflects the appeal for the change and the benefits the IT industry is realizing fast pace,innovation and flexibility.In addition,Cloud RAN will be attractive for enterprise deployments of 5G,with the potential to share on-premises network and server infrastructure with

6、the core network and enterprise applications.Additionally,the adoption of Cloud RAN provides the option of leveraging the wider public and large scale hyperscaler cloud providers as a potential for increased business flexibility,either for temporary network expansions or as a longer term option to a

7、dd to the business toolbox.Cloud RAN does not imply the end of purpose-built RAN.First of all,the RAN differs from the Core and IT domain because it contains elements,such as Radios and Antennas,that cannot be replaced by cloud solutions in the same optimized and specialized fashion.Secondly,purpose

8、-built RAN powers the vast majority of radio access networks today,and will continue to evolve and be a competitive alternative for optimized performance,energy efficiency and size.Purpose-built RAN solutions,such as the Ericsson Radio System,is a tightly integrated and optimized architecture of rad

9、io and baseband hardware&software,along with a dedicated network management system.Both architectures have the capabilities that CSPs need to drive their successful 5G network evolution and capture the commercial benefits of 5G features such as high bandwidth,low latency and security.We see that fut

10、ure radio access networks will be purpose-built,cloud-based,and a combination thereof,depending on the CSP needs and use-cases.The evolution towards Cloud RAN will need careful consideration and most commonly follow a stepwise approach.In our collaborations with CSPs,we have seen different approache

11、s to Cloud RAN,including:Early Cloud RAN adopters,who often choose to introduce Cloud RAN for 5G capacity expansions,for example through midband deployments or low band migration from 4G to 5G.Initial introduction of Cloud RAN for specific use-cases,e.g.enterprise deployments.Cloud RAN combined with

12、 a migration to a centralized RAN deployment.Regardless of the approach and timing,the key will be to leverage the cloud paradigm in RAN for service development agility,deployment flexibility and scalability,while using purpose-built solutions for high performance and potential cost-efficiency.More

13、importantly,introducing cloud-native principles into management and orchestration of both architectures will enable a common way to manage the Core,IT and RAN domains.This will be essential to reduce the complexity and deliver the expected benefits from both Cloud RAN and purpose-built,meeting CSPs

14、future business needs and end-users expectations on service performance.We are seeing an increased interest in virtualization and cloud-native technologies with 5G Radio Access Networks(RAN)and beyond,that promise to meet diverse and varied needs for more resilient,open,sustainable and intelligent m

15、obile networks.In the long run,we envision that everything that can benefit from running in the cloud,will be running in the cloud.2Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?Contents04 Paving the way with Cloud RAN innovation and purpose-built evolution08 Cloud RAN The rationale and drivers11 Key considerations f

16、or a successful mobile network evolution14 Scenarios and benefits from both Cloud RAN and purpose-built 16 Success factors for network evolution18 The part Ericsson plays3Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?Cloud RAN,at its most fundamental level,is a separation of the RAN baseband software and the RAN base

17、band hardware,where baseband RAN functionality is delivered as pure software.This software can run on any capable commercial-off-the-shelf(COTS)hardware,with or without integrated accelerators,using cloud-native tools and processes to manage both software and hardware.Paving the way with Cloud RAN i

18、nnovation and purpose-built evolution01If recent history tells us anything,it is that everything that can benefit from running in the cloud,will be running in the cloud.At Ericsson,we believe that in the long term,mobile radio access networks will also evolve in this direction.The networks will be h

19、ighly automated with a common multi-vendor management system,allowing CSPs to choose different types of RAN deployments,where both Cloud RAN and purpose-built RAN will be relevant,serving different needs.The specific blend of architectures and timing of Cloud RAN introduction will depend on the busi

20、ness goals,starting point and strategy of each individual CSP.However,the nature of radio access networks requires careful consideration as to when,how and where to use cloud technologies.The RAN will always consist of purpose-built hardware such as radios,and antennas and the interworking between t

21、hese and Cloud RAN components is important to get right.At the same time,the need for bandwidth,energy efficiency and spectrum management keep increasing,adding stringent demands on the hardware and its capability to deliver real-time processing.In certain scenarios and contexts,a purpose-built arch

22、itecture will meet these demands in a better way while in others,Cloud RAN will be a better fit.There is not a single one-size-fits-all solution for all CSPs that will deliver on the future needs of consumers,enterprises and society in a robust and secure way.Independent of the path chosen whether a

23、 CSP pursues Cloud RAN in an all-in manner or wants to deploy it selectively where it sees the main benefits,it is a long-term process to reach the desired end state.This calls for highly effective solutions to support the network transformation,where purpose-built and Cloud RAN can coexist and inte

24、roperate with high network performance,reliability,security,and overall operability.There are a few questions that have to be considered and answered along the way when deploying Cloud RAN.What are the benefits that can be achieved by adopting Cloud RAN?When and where should Cloud RAN be considered?

25、How to best leverage existing and future cloud infrastructure?How to efficiently operate Cloud RAN and purpose-built in the same network?To support CSPs in each step of their network evolution journey,high-performing radio solutions that provide the flexibility and full support for both network arch

26、itectures Cloud RAN and purpose-built are a prerequisite.The network design needs to allow for interoperability,cloud-native management and orchestration across RAN,Core and IT domains,and have a high degree of backwards and forward compatibility.This way,CSPs can evolve their networks in a cost-eff

27、ective way while ensuring high performance.4Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?5Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?Cloud RAN Cloud RAN is the separation of the RAN baseband software and the RAN baseband hardware.This baseband RAN software can run on any capable COTS hardware,with or without integrated accelerator

28、s,and cloud-native tools and processes to manage software and hardware.It means that baseband RAN software can,in principle,be deployed in several different ways on cloud hardware on-site,in a CSP-owned data center,or even on a hyperscaler public cloud.However,different parts of the RAN software sta

29、ck have different requirements of processing and time-criticality.Hence,it is important to carefully consider how to deploy the individual parts of the stack,both from a hardware perspective and where the processing is located in the network.The disaggregated Cloud RAN architecture will also bring n

30、ew types of requirements to support,for example,end-to-end orchestration,assurance,and security.1 Read more on: RAN Purpose-built is the current way of building a RAN network where software is tightly-bundled and co-designed with the baseband hardware and radios.Purpose-built or particularly for Eri

31、csson,RAN Compute is a tightly-integrated and optimized deployment of radio,baseband hardware and software and operational tools that are optimized for performance,energy efficiency and size.The purpose-built architecture powers the vast majority of todays radio access networks,which predominantly c

32、onsists of distributed deployments using IP backhaul to the base station site.Cloud-native Cloud-native is a collective term to explain how software,hardware,operations and life-cycle management work in a system built from the ground up for the cloud.Fundamental building blocks are container-based m

33、icroservice architecture for software,container orchestration systems such as Kubernetes,continuous integration and continuous delivery(CI/CD)practices for software creation,deployment management and a high degree of automation(DevOps).Together,these are called cloud-native principles.Centralized RA

34、N vs.Distributed RAN Centralized RAN,commonly referred to as CRAN,can sometimes be confused with Cloud RAN due to its abbreviation.Centralized RAN is an alternative to the most common deployment option,distributed RAN(DRAN).In DRAN,all RAN processing for each antenna site is done locally at the ante

35、nna site.In CRAN on the other hand,a large part of the RAN processing is done at a common CRAN hub for multiple antenna sites.This can be achieved both in a Cloud RAN or purpose-built architecture.While in DRAN,the transport segment from antenna site to core network is referred to as the backhaul,in

36、 CRAN,the interface between the antenna site and the CRAN hub is referred to as the fronthaul.Today,the fronthaul is typically based on dark fiber,a point-to-point connection between the CRAN hub and the antenna site to deliver on the strict latency,jitter and bandwidth requirements.1Key definitions

37、 before we dive inPrivate cloudPublic cloudEricsson Network ManagementEricsson Intelligent Automation PlatformCloud-native management and orchestrationPurpose-built6Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?HyperscalerCloudHardwarePlatform services(PaaS layer)Container service(CaaS layer)Commercial off-the-shelf(

38、COTS)HardwareEricsson RAN Software for RAN ComputeEricsson RAN Compute Baseband HardwareAntennaRadioEricsson RAN Software for CloudCommon CUBluefieldTight inter-working with Ericsson Cloud LinkBluefield A new way of approaching network evolution.Unlike brownfield deployments,in which we expand the c

39、apacity of an existing network,or greenfield,in which we deploy sites in a new network,bluefield rollouts represent a deployment middle ground introducing new technology into an existing network.How it works Bluefield incorporates cloud elements into an existing network,which means it is not an over

40、lay or a replacement of all the existing network architecture with a new one.It therefore gives CSPs the flexibility to gradually introduce Cloud RAN where needed,across all deployment scenarios in existing sites using the Ericsson Radio System portfolio.With Ericsson Cloud Link,we enable value-add

41、network technologies to operate across platforms with the best user experience and highest performance.The benefits Bluefield deployments have three key benefits:Leverage existing CAPEX investments by adding Cloud RAN into existing sites Achieve higher performance in the combined network architectur

42、e,purpose-built and Cloud RAN,compared to a pure overlay scenario2 Read more on: Reduce complexity and have a common,cloud-native,way to manage both network architectures,delivering the expected benefits from both purpose-built and Cloud RANIn a nutshell,bluefield deployments will keep purpose-built

43、 networks attractive over time,while enabling CSPs to seamlessly evolve towards cloud-native technologies and open network architectures to meet the demand for greater deployment flexibility.2Open RAN Open RAN is a concept for a more disaggregated RAN architecture built on top of 3GPP specifications

44、.Open RAN has high potential,but to ensure its future success,improvements are needed,such as network performance,energy efficiency and security.Ericsson continues to drive Open RAN development and is a leading contributor to the O-RAN Alliance.The most transformative benefit of Open RAN is cloudifi

45、cation which paves the way for a larger ecosystem.It will also open up the possibility to even further automate mobile networks.Maintaining the benefits of global scale is critical for users and society at large,so we will continue driving the evolution of one global set of standards for future netw

46、orks with Ericsson Cloud RAN and the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform as key enablers for the emerging ecosystem.7Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?RAN ComputeRAN ComputeCloud RANCloud RAN CUCUDUCloud RAN The rationale and drivers02There has been an increasing interest in extending the movement to

47、 the cloud from the IT and Core network domains to the RAN.There are three main drivers CSPs are looking for when considering Cloud RAN.Cloud RAN allows for flexibility in deployment options and scalability of compute resources due to the separation of baseband software and hardware.As a result,CSPs

48、 have the option to choose the hardware and cloud infrastructure that fits them best.The RAN functions can be placed in a distributed deployment or moved into their existing data centers,either centrally or at the edge,where CSPs can scale compute resources as needed and share capacity with other ty

49、pes of applications.Additionally,cloud economics can also come from moving from high upfront costs to only paying for used resources and from freeing up IT staff from hardware maintenance work.With Cloud RAN,CSPs can create a more unified and common operations model across all network elements and v

50、endors,built on cloud-native principles and with an increased level of automation of network operations.Such a common operations model will help CSPs to improve operational efficiency and give them the capabilities to manage growing network complexity through the use of artificial intelligence(AI)an

51、d automation,both embedded in cloud-native ways of working.Here,the subscription model provided by Cloud RAN also plays an important role in terms of CI/CD since Cloud RAN is based on open-source SW,it can be extremely vulnerable to exploits if not regularly patched.Cloud RAN will also help CSPs to

52、expand their offering to enterprises and industries,with solutions for private networks as well as cost optimized 5G indoor coverage.Since Cloud RAN has the potential to run on the same type of hardware and use operational processes that enterprises already use,it becomes a good fit for these types

53、of services.Enterprises will be able to flexibly decide how to operate such a network-either on their own,with a third party or together with a CSP.For cases where data security,sovereignty and low latency are important,the 5G core network can also run locally on the same“on-premises”infrastructure

54、as the RAN software.Cloud economics Scaling,flexibility,and pooling Common,unified and automated network operationsEnable development of new enterprise business8Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?9Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?10Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?Each CSP has a unique journey in their evolution tow

55、ards Cloud RAN.Depending on their starting point,cloud strategy and overarching business goals,different considerations need to be assessed and evaluated.By being early in this space,collaborating with frontrunner customers,we have identified three categories of CSPs and defined the most important a

56、ctions and considerations for each on the next steps of their 5G network evolution.All three would have the end goal of achieving optimal balance between performance,efficiency,cost and relation to business intents.Key considerations for a successful mobile network evolution03Cloud-native telcos the

57、se CSPs are early-adopters who are willing to take the necessary steps in terms of investments in research and development(R&D),operational tools,organizational setup and skillset to rapidly adopt Cloud RAN and stay ahead of the curve.The end goal is to become cloud-native,but since this is a long-t

58、erm journey,they will be in a bluefield environment,with both architectures in their network,for some time.These CSPs understand cloud native is not yet another technology,but a wider process of change management,in order to set the baseline for a more efficient business and operating model.The curi

59、ous explorers these CSPs want to selectively deploy Cloud RAN where it is most beneficial for them and their customers,while keeping purpose-built as their main choice of architecture.Even though their end goal is different from the cloud-native telcos,they will also be in a bluefield deployment,cap

60、turing the benefits of what they already have installed while adding new,cloud-based technologies.These CSPs are exploring and assessing the change management process in order to identify the best potential setup for their business.They want to proceed with caution on the required changes for an opt

61、imal business environment.Purpose-built optimizers these CSPs have the main focus of evolving the purpose-built RAN,optimizing network performance and operational efficiency with an increasing degree of automation.Additionally,they are looking to efficiently leverage the installed base,while adding

62、capacity as traffic grows and more spectrum is deployed.11Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?Below is an outline of what each type of CSP will have to consider across the areas of infrastructure,network automation and organization to evolve according to the specific path chosen.Cloud-native telcosMake the

63、R&D,operational and skillset investments to adopt Cloud RAN early onCurious explorerSelectively deploy Cloud RAN where it is most beneficialPurpose-built optimizerContinue with and evolve purpose-built RANDefine objectives and targets with the migration and overall timelineChoose the right Cloud RAN

64、 infrastructure to realize key use cases and deployment scenarios Have the right systems and capabilities in placeIdentify potential partnerships with hyperscale cloud providersImplement a complete transformation of the legacy approach to network operations through automationEvolve to a common opera

65、tional model that can stitch purpose-built and Cloud RAN together Define a stepwise automation planHave the expertise needed to procure and manage a disaggregated systemDeliver pre-verified solutions and solid network evolution capabilities and skillsInvest in training and organizational setup for n

66、ew ways of working,especially operationallyEvaluate technology options for private and public cloud deploymentsAssess business cases and timing for a potential broader Cloud RAN deploymentDefine how to best introduce Cloud RAN stepwise in the network,for instance in a new frequency band or with the

67、centralized unit(CU)Start evolving to a common operational model for both purpose-built and Cloud RANConsider introducing automation to the existing purpose-built network while preparing for future Cloud RAN needs for end-to-end orchestrationUse trials and PoCs to build up competence to be ready for

68、 later Cloud RAN introduction at scaleLearn from the experiences of Cloud RAN frontrunners globallyExplore/evaluate how to best transform to new ways of workingInvest in flexible architecture that optimizes the total cost of ownership and performance for different deployments and RAN architecture,wh

69、ile supporting a seamless network evolutionAggregate more spectrum in low,mid,and high bandGradually shift capacity towards 4G and 5G Leverage Intelligent Automation in RANExploit artificial intelligence(AI)and machine learning(ML)in RAN,for automation and performanceOptimize processes and tools for

70、 streamlined network operationsMove from traditional operations to automated processes leveraging AI/MLLeverage cloud-native ways of working such as continuous deployment(CD)processes for a faster and more efficient rollout of new RAN software releasesInfrastructureNetwork automationOrganization12Er

71、icsson|Whats next for RAN?Regardless of the path chosen,careful considerations are needed for each key area organisation,network automation and infrastructure in order to achieve a successful network evolution.13Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?Distributed deployment of radiosAs 5G adoption picks up glob

72、ally,deployment of radios is key.With beamforming capable radios,it is possible to achieve both extended coverage as well as increased capacity to provide the superior experience we aim for with 5G.In many cases,IP backhaul to sites is sufficient,and purpose-built distributed RAN will be the most co

73、st-effective solution thanks to the low incremental cost of deployment,energy efficiency and form factor tailored to fit existing base station sites.For this reason,the majority of CSPs following the curious explorer or the purpose-built optimizer paths will continue with a purpose-built network arc

74、hitecture in this scenario.However,CSPs that seek a cloud-native path could deploy Cloud RAN with distributed DU and centralized CU.This will deliver high network performance albeit at the expense of,for example,a somewhat decreased energy efficiency when compared to purpose-built,while adding an in

75、creased system integration complexity.The key potential benefit in this case would be having a more unified operational model.Enterprise and industry locationAs mentioned,Cloud RAN is well-suited for on-premises network deployments or private capacity networks where a 5G network is dedicated for an

76、enterprise customer.The 5G RAN functions can run on the same type of infrastructure that the enterprise customer already uses,which gives them the flexibility to operate it the way they prefer.Enterprises can add servers if they need to increase capacity and,if the Cloud RAN is deployed in their IT

77、environment,they can easily spin up another compute instance in the data centers.In addition to the scenario above,the network Core could also be deployed on-premises,which makes it possible to secure sensitive and sovereign data locally and cater for low-latency use-cases.For this reason,CSPs in th

78、e cloud-native and curious explorer path can use this scenario as a way to explore new enterprise and industry business opportunities based on Cloud RAN.For CSPs taking the purpose-built optimizer path,enterprise and industry solutions can continue to be addressed with purpose-built,as a combination

79、 of macro network coverage complemented with indoor solutions leveraging purpose-built hardware to add local capacity and coverage.Centralized RAN deployment In a Centralized RAN(CRAN)deployment,the RAN compute or Cloud RAN DU function is deployed at a central location,such as“central offices”,using

80、 packetized fronthaul connectivity.For both purpose-built and Cloud RAN architectures,at the cost of adding the fronthaul connectivity,there are benefits in terms of scalability of compute resources dimensioning-wise over time,to dynamically handle peak traffic loads and to achieve pooling gains acr

81、oss a large number of(low load)cells.This translates into cost efficiency,since there is a reduced need for spare capacity in cell sites to handle peak loads.Additionally,capacity can easily be added with fewer and less costly site visits for the network operations team.In addition to the general CR

82、AN benefits,the Cloud RAN architecture fits very well with such a“far edge”data center deployment.Besides the scalability of server capacity,cloud infrastructure resilience and software upgrade mechanisms can be exploited for a high network reliability as well as the possibility to deploy the Cloud

83、RAN CU with local or geographical redundancy.The CSP can also choose to leverage the far edge data center for other types of network functions or applications,for instance to achieve a very low latency,and the location of DU and CU functions can be separated so that CU is deployed on even more centr

84、al(edge)data centers.For this reason,many CSPs in the cloud-native and curious explorer path will implement Cloud RAN architecture in this scenario.For CSPs taking the purpose-built optimizer path,the improved capacity and interoperability of purpose-built basebands can be realized through a CRAN de

85、ployment to deliver reduced site rental,energy consumption and site visit costs,making it an interesting solution to explore for CSPs deploying purpose-built hardware.To understand where a Cloud RAN introduction would make sense,lets have a look into a few examples of common network evolution scenar

86、ios and explore the different benefits from both a Cloud RAN and purpose-built perspective in each.Scenarios and benefits from both Cloud RAN and purpose-built0414Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?To understand the scenarios and how Cloud RAN is practically deployed,lets take a look at the different RAN f

87、unctions that are needed to run in a mobile radio network.In a Cloud RAN deployment,these can be placed in different locations depending on context and situation.Distributed deployment of radiosCentralized RAN deploymentEnterprise and industry locationRAN Radio Unit(RU)The RU is located close to the

88、 antenna and hosts the radio functions,such as beamforming for massive MIMO.The RU requires significant processing resources and is very time-critical;it needs purpose-built hardware and close proximity to the antenna.RAN Digital Unit(DU)The digital unit handles radio link control,medium access prot

89、ocol and the physical layer.The RAN DU requires high-performing hardware,especially when carrier bandwidth is increased.RAN Centralized Unit(CU)RAN CU handles the control and user plane.The processing need scales with the number of users and the user throughput,and is not as time and performance cri

90、tical as other parts of the RAN functionality.In these scenarios,the different functions are processed on different types of hardware and at different locations.Cloud RAN as an enabler of future use-cases and revenue streamsThe benefits in the scenarios above provide strong arguments and compelling

91、deployment use-cases to consider Cloud RAN in the short-to mid-term.Going forward,with a trend towards more distributed cloud infrastructure,private networks,and indoor 5G deployments,new opportunities and use-cases that benefit from low latency and processing at the edge will emerge.With a Cloud RA

92、N architecture in place,CSPs have opportunities to further expand their offering and create a range of new services,primarily for enterprises on-premises and network wide.By combining RAN,core and the enterprise applications in a joint solution,CSPs can offer highly secure,robust and low latency ser

93、vices to the enterprises,either on their own private cloud or in partnership with hyperscale cloud providers(HCPs).The CSP could offer this infrastructure to the enterprise as a service,enabling local breakout and orchestrating the performance of both the local network and the applications,creating

94、a whole new type of revenue stream in addition to the traditional mobile broadband offerings.Radio Beamforming processingRadio Beamforming processingCloud on-premises Cloud Core 15Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?Radio Radio Beamforming processingBeamforming processingRAN Compute baseband on siteRAN Comp

95、ute baseband/cloud on siteCentralized cloud Centralized cloud/RAN compute basebandCloud Core Cloud Core Cloud Core DU processingDU processingDU processingDU processingCU processingCU processingCU processingCU processingIndependent of the path chosen,a successful network evolution will need to delive

96、r best-in-class user experience while achieving efficiency,reliability,and security for CSPs.For most CSPs,this means that they will evolve their purpose-built architecture while complementing it with a Cloud RAN architecture and ensuring they work together seamlessly.Success factors for network evo

97、lution05These are the key building blocks we believe are needed to make the network evolution successful:Future-proof and compatible portfolioGoing forward,it is crucial for CSPs to reduce the need to rip and replace existing technology,for CSPs,both for sustainability and cost reasons.To ensure thi

98、s,their radios must work with both Cloud RAN and purpose-built architecture,have equal performance on both and deliver capabilities such as 5G mid-band,5G standalone,network slicing and service exposure.This,in practice,means that the installed radios can also be leveraged if the RAN architecture ch

99、anges,for example from DRAN to CRAN,or from purpose-built to Cloud RAN.Deep interworkingTo make bluefield deployments a reality,CSPs will need tight interworking between the different 5G network architectures Cloud RAN and purpose-built.For example,it is important that features such as carrier aggre

100、gation and dynamic spectrum sharing work seamlessly across both architectures to ensure maximum network performance.Common operations and automationRegardless of Cloud RAN or purpose-built,intelligent automation and integration is imperative to deliver high performance and customer experience.The ex

101、plosion of use-cases,data hungry applications,diverse devices and new security demands creates a complex landscape that requires automation and integration at scale.Having a common,cloud-native management system across the RAN,Core and IT domains will be key for CSPs to keep operating expenses(OPEX)

102、in check as they transition towards Cloud RAN.Here,cloud-native will enable the introduction of,for example,automated software management of software and AI for network operations,common security monitoring and compliance management.In addition to that,with a move to Cloud RAN,CSPs also need to secu

103、re the required expertise,invest in employee training and education,and either establish an independent organizational setup to manage the cloud infrastructure or outsource it.In this area,learning from the experiences of Cloud RAN frontrunners globally,as well as from cloud-native Core and IT deplo

104、yments,could be beneficial for a successful transformation.16Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?17Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?Ericsson recognizes the diversity of network evolution paths that CSPs may follow and is constantly working to support them and ensure their success.We have therefore introduced Eri

105、csson Cloud RAN to bring cloud-native innovation to our portfolio and complement the proven and highly-optimized purpose-built RAN Compute portfolio.Ericsson Cloud RAN is built to work seamlessly with our RAN Compute portfolio,and is designed to provide the same quality,features and performance that

106、 CSPs expect from us in the purpose-built area.In addition to that,we are also introducing pre-integrated solutions for example,system-verified,validated on that allow for easier and faster deployment as well as functionality,resilience and even performance guarantees in certain configurations.The p

107、art Ericsson plays06Innovation with the Ericsson Cloud RAN portfolioThe Ericsson Cloud RAN portfolio is world-class with high performance,flexibility and scalability,enabling service providers to evolve towards cloud-native technologies and open network architectures.Our Cloud RAN solutions are desi

108、gned according to cloud-native principles and to run on any cloud environment,allowing for increased deployment flexibility.Ericsson also has a full suite of supplementary,intelligence-powered network services that will assist the CSP throughout the entire Cloud RAN journey,covering everything from

109、site design and engineering to continuous pre-emptive support and network optimization.These aim to facilitate onboarding onto the service providers cloud infrastructure of choice.Our key differentiators and their benefits include:Backward compatibility with the installed base of 5G radios With a la

110、rge installed base of 5G radios,we acknowledge the importance of backward compatibility,which is a fundamental principle in our Cloud RAN development.The Ericsson Cloud RAN portfolio supports 5G on both classic low-band and new 5G bands(e.g.,mid-3 Read more on: Ericssons industry leading Massive MIM

111、O radios with Ericsson Uplink Booster for increased 5G performance.Additional to this,Ericssons packet fronthaul products include the conversion of Ericsson CPRI to Ericsson eCPRI to further enable the reuse of the installed base of 5G radios.Greater scalability,pooling,and faster time to market Our

112、 solutions are built as fully cloud-native software,bringing greater scalability,pooling,and faster time to market for new services.Controlled operational costs(OPEX)while migrating to Cloud RAN The Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform3 brings AI-powered automation to the network across both Clo

113、ud RAN and purpose-built.With a common system for both architectures and strong automation capabilities,we help CSPs to keep OPEX in check as they transition towards Cloud RAN.The best out of both RAN worlds With Ericsson Cloud Link,we bring the worlds of purpose-built and Cloud RAN together.It make

114、s features such as Ericsson Carrier Aggregation and Ericsson Spectrum Sharing work across both architectures.As a result,there is no need to choose between the deployment flexibility of Cloud RAN and continuing to leverage the purpose-built installed base.Cloud RAN is inherently open,which calls for

115、 a broader ecosystem approach with partnerships and collaborations to bring maximum benefits to our customers.Openness also requires new considerations for security,and while Cloud RAN has built-in security functions,CSPs will also have the opportunity to use the security functions in the cloud plat

116、form where beneficial.Ericsson joins forces with multiple leading cloud technology partners and is actively engaging and collaborating in open-source initiatives to shape the Cloud RAN technology roadmap,server solutions,and cloud software platforms.Together,our strong partner ecosystem will drive a

117、nd shape the best technology solutions in terms of security,standardization and integration,while giving customers the option to select from a wide range of hardware options.18Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?Evolution of purpose-built into the futureEricssons vision for RAN Compute is to deliver product

118、s that enable CSPs to build best-in-class performance networks with the smallest footprint and lowest power consumption,coupled with a high level of automation in operations.Our key differentiators and their benefits include:Faster and more energy efficient RAN Our RAN Compute portfolio is powered b

119、y our custom-made Ericsson Silicon,a System on a Chip solution that handles the massive compute load that comes from 5G.The tight co-design of Ericsson Silicon with hardware and software enables the creation of high-performing,energy-efficient and light-weight products for a wide range of deployment

120、 scenarios,today and in the future.Ericsson Silicon is 4050%faster than industry average and between 2025%more energy efficient.In addition to this,we continue to invest in R&D and leverage our expertise in designing purpose-built telecom solutions to deliver best-in-class products and services that

121、 seek to break the energy curve.Suitable for most deployment scenarios The breadth of the RAN Compute portfolio makes it one of the most comprehensive on the market,suitable for most deployment scenarios that our customers will encounter,regardless if it is a matter of capacity,coverage or footprint

122、 on existing sites.Its modular architecture makes it possible to fit every sites needs.Secure from the ground up Security is built-in at the heart and from the start in our RAN Compute portfolio.Starting from our custom silicon,the RAN Compute is secure from the ground up.Electronic fuses(eFuses)pre

123、vent tampering and access to the crypto keys.At the same time,the security algorithms forge an unbroken chain of trust to mitigate risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information and data.Key conclusions The network evolution journey is unique for every CSP,and so is the optimal pace of transfo

124、rmation.When looking into the RAN,both Cloud RAN and purpose-built provide the means needed to evolve the 5G networks and enable new 5G use cases and applications.Finding the right combination between the two architectures and getting the most out of each,is the main challenge to overcome and master

125、.It is key to understand where,how and why these architectures can be used to evolve CSPs networks to support and drive their business objectives.Ericsson supports CSPs 5G network evolution with the introduction of Cloud RAN in parallel with the continued evolution of the purpose-built architecture.

126、Having both architecture choices at hand,and with seamless interworking using Ericsson Cloud Link,CSPs can ensure a gradual network evolution.With this flexibility there is no need to disregard already made investments in your installed base.Optimize your purpose-built,selectively deploy Cloud RAN o

127、r go all-in on Cloud RAN,while using the same cloud-native management and orchestration across Core,IT and RAN.Re-invent purpose-built and innovate with Cloud RAN with Ericsson as a partner in your 5G network evolution journey.19Ericsson|Whats next for RAN?The content of this document is subject to revision without notice due to continued progress in methodology,design and manufacturing.Ericsson shall have no liability for any error or samage of any kind resulting from the use of this document.EN/LZT 20/28701-FGB 101 004 Rev.BEricsson AB 2022E