O-Cloud Driving the Future of Open RAN

For mobile operators, O-Cloud provides the cloud-native platform needed to automate RAN functions, integrate multi-vendor solutions, and optimise network performance at scale.

The Open Cloud, or O-Cloud, is the physical and software foundation that lets operators deploy open RAN in a cloud-native way. At its core an O-Cloud node bundles CPUs, memory, storage, network interfaces, board management controllers and optionally accelerators such as FPGAs to offload computationally heavy tasks. An O-Cloud is not a single machine but a set of resource pools that may be distributed across a centralised site and multiple edge locations. Together those pools provide the compute, storage and timing environments required to host O-RAN central units and distributed units, the management and orchestration layers, and observability and lifecycle services that keep everything running reliably.

Technically oriented operators will want to think of O-Cloud as an integrated stack of requirements rather than a single product. It must support bare metal deployment and tight integration with container orchestration for cloud-native network functions. It needs multi-cluster lifecycle management with automated scaling, network isolation primitives and deterministic CPU and memory control for real-time workloads. Features such as SR-IOV, PCI pass-through, DPDK support, huge pages and device plugins for FPGA or GPU enable low-latency packet I/O and hardware acceleration where needed. Time synchronisation is another non-negotiable; GNSS, PTP and SyncE support are all necessary for distributed scenarios that demand precise phase and timing alignment. On the management side the O-Cloud must provide board and host management, configuration and fault management, secure software update mechanisms and an infrastructure inventory that reports capabilities and resource availability to the orchestrator.

Why O-Cloud matters is best understood by mapping those technical building blocks to operational problems that operators face today. Mobile networks are now a mesh of legacy architectures, virtualised elements and new cloud-native components. Manual processes and basic automation are no longer sufficient to optimise service quality, scale to demand, or keep costs under control. The O-RAN Service Management and Orchestration framework, coupled with the O-Cloud, enables standards-based infrastructure management and cross-organisational data collection. That combination is the prerequisite for sophisticated automation and the application of AI techniques across the RAN.

A concrete operational capability driven by O-Cloud is application homing. When the orchestrator has an accurate inventory of O-Cloud resources and real-time telemetry, it can place workloads on the cloud instance that best meets the latency, throughput and cost profile required by an application. In practice this means low-latency services can be hosted on edge clusters with real-time OS and hardware acceleration while less-sensitive workloads run in centralised clusters that maximise cost efficiency. The O2 interface between the SMO and O-Cloud is what makes this possible by allowing registration and continuous inventory updates so the orchestrator always has an up-to-date picture of available resources.

Multi-cloud orchestration is another operational lever. In a disaggregated ecosystem operators can choose cloud providers or on-prem platforms based on geography, performance, pricing or regulatory requirements. Effective orchestration distributes workloads across these environments to optimise resource usage and resilience. For example, automatic lifecycle management and rolling updates let operators patch and upgrade clusters with minimal service disruption, while integrated observability ensures fast detection and remediation of performance degradations. These capabilities not only improve quality of experience for subscribers but also reduce operational effort and human error.

Security, isolation and regulatory compliance are built into the O-Cloud requirements. A Zero Trust approach that hardens host operating systems, enforces strict service-to-service authentication and integrates automated security testing into CI/CD pipelines is essential. Multi-tenancy and isolation at compute, network and storage layers are critical where regulators demand separation for emergency services, hospitals or public safety. Managing hardware accelerators and firmware securely is also part of the platform responsibilities.

Deutsche Telekom’s independent O-Cloud proof of concept demonstrates how these technical concepts translate into reality. Working with Red Hat and IBM, Deutsche Telekom used Red Hat OpenShift as the CaaS (container-as-a-service) layer to provide the container runtime, cluster lifecycle tools and GitOps-based operations. Red Hat’s automation tooling was used to implement zero-touch provisioning so hardware could be rapidly onboarded and configured. IBM Consulting supported the integration, system design and lifecycle automation that enabled rapid deployment, monitoring and observability across the lab environment. The trial, completed within six months, validated automated lifecycle management, observability and the integration of hardware and software with open interfaces.

The trial’s outcomes reinforce the argument that a properly engineered O-Cloud enables multi-vendor interoperability and operational freedom. Automation and monitoring requirements were met with minimal human intervention. Flexible infrastructure and vendor independence give operators choice and the ability to continuously select best-in-class components. Crucially, the PoC showed that inventory and capability reporting combined with orchestration can enable application homing and cross-cloud resource optimisation in practice, not just in theory.

Looking ahead, real-world O-Cloud deployments will need to balance competing priorities. Operators must plan migration paths that preserve legacy services while incrementally introducing cloud-native elements. They must invest in platform automation, observability and security, and build operational processes that exploit rather than fight cloud-native lifecycle paradigms. Energy and cost management must be considered at the infrastructure layer so that scaling decisions also reflect carbon and capex/opex objectives. Finally, industry collaboration and lab-to-field testing will remain important to refine standards, validate interoperability and mature the tooling around SMO, the O2 interface and multi-cluster management.

O-Cloud is therefore both a technical specification set and an operational philosophy. It ties precise platform requirements to the automation, orchestration and vendor independence that open RAN promises. Deutsche Telekom’s PoC shows that the blueprint works in practice and that the path to cloudified, multi-vendor RANs is feasible when infrastructure, orchestration and automation are designed together. For operators seeking to deliver programmable, resilient and cost-effective 5G and beyond, investing in O-Cloud capabilities will be a defining step on the road to modern RAN operations.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: Deutsche Telekom’s Open RAN (ORAN) Plans
• Free 6G Training: 3GPP and O-RAN ALLIANCE Discuss 6G Coordination
• The 3G4G Blog: O-RAN Introduction for Beginners
• The 3G4G Blog: Accelerating O-RAN Adoption Through Open Source
• The 3G4G Blog: Open RAN Terminology and Players
• The 3G4G Blog: Different Types of RAN Architectures - Distributed, Centralized & Cloud 

Deutsche Telekom's Hydrogen-Powered Mini-Masts

Earlier in the year we wrote about Deutsche Telekom's Mini-Mast a.k.a. “Cell Tower To Go”.  Last year, DT set a new benchmark in sustainable technology with the deployment of hydrogen-powered antennas at the Nibirii Festival in Germany. This initiative replaced the traditional diesel generators with hydrogen fuel cells to provide eco-friendly energy for mobile base stations. The hydrogen is sourced in a CO₂-neutral process, marking a significant step towards green innovation.

For anyone who doesn't understand what hydrogen fuel cell is, this video has a good explanation.

At the festival, a hydrogen-powered mast supported 30,000 attendees with seamless LTE and 5G connectivity. The fuel cells, developed by SFC Energy, ensured reliable, uninterrupted service for 28 days, showcasing their potential for large events, emergencies, and remote areas. This shift underscores Deutsche Telekom's commitment to combining sustainability with technological advancements.

Additionally, compact mobile masts and stage-mounted small cells enhanced coverage and user experience. These innovations promise to redefine mobile connectivity, emphasizing rapid deployment and reduced environmental impact.

You can read the full story here.

Related Posts: 

• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Deutsche Telekom's Mini-Mast a.k.a. “Cell Tower To Go”
• Connectivity Technology Blog: Deutsche Telekom Demonstrates 12 Gbps on 5G Using 6 GHz Band
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Deutsche Telekom 5G Small Cells in Phone Boxes
• Private Networks Technology Blog: Deutsche Telekom Deploys 5G Campus Network in Port of Duisburg
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Omniflow Smart Street Lighting for 5G and IoT
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Deutsche Telekom Launches Indoor Booster 5G Repeater
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: FC Bayern and Deutsche Telekom bring 5G to the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany
• Operator Watch Blog: Deutsche Telekom's 'Tech Grounds' 2021
• Connectivity Technology Blog: Deutsche Bahn to get Seamless Mobile Network Along all Tracks
• Connectivity Technology Blog: 4G/5G Campus Networks and their Challenges 

Deutsche Telekom's Mini-Mast a.k.a. “Cell Tower To Go”

Last year Deutsche Telekom developed a mini-mast (or as they call it, ultra-mobile mast) prototype called "cell-tower-to-go". Think of this as Cell On Wheel (COW) with no wheels. In a recent press release they indicated that it has already become a customer favourite within a short space of time. 

Around a dozen companies are testing the flexible solution so far. "With our call to test our ultra-mobile cell tower, we have raised great interest among companies from a wide range of industries. This high demand shows: The need for a flexible mobile communications solution is there - also among business customers. This has strengthened our decision to offer this innovation 'made by Telekom' commercially in the future," says Klaus Werner, Managing Director Business Customers at Telekom Deutschland.

One of the first testers is the leading Swiss construction and real estate service provider Implenia. The company will provide its bridge construction site in Bad Lobenstein (Thuringia, Germany) with 5G and 4G/LTE during the two-year construction phase. The construction site in the valley could not be reached by the conventional mobile phone masts in the surrounding area. However, due to the high degree of digitalization of the construction site, a fast and reliable mobile network connection is essential. 

Telekom's cell-tower-to-go provides high-performance coverage at the construction site. Smartphones and computers then use fast mobile connections via frequencies in the 2.6 and 3.6 gigahertz range. For Implenia, this basic mobile communications coverage is also an ideal basis for IoT applications. The company uses them to optimize processes and material flows on the construction site. The easy-to-connect mast is linked to the network on the bridge construction site via fiber optics. However, the connection via satellite will also be tested in a next step. This will provide additional flexibility and an even faster connection to the network. 

The micro-container is also making a big impact at the delivery service flaschenpost SE. The food and beverage delivery service from Münster, Germany, uses the additional 5G supply within a logistics hall. This speeds up its operational processes.

The special feature of the ultra-mobile mast is that it is significantly smaller, lighter and more flexible than previous solutions. The entire radio technology fits into a compact micro-container (length: 1.6 meters, width: 2 meters, height: 2.6 meters). This makes the mobile mast space-saving and easy to transport. It can be set up by one person in less than an hour - and is immediately ready for use. The micro container can be connected to a local power supply or operated using any other mobile power source. It can be connected to the data network via fiber optics or radio relay.  

These advantages make the mobile “dwarf” not only the first choice for fast or temporary coverage for business customers. The use of mobile masts also provides rapid assistance in disaster areas thanks to their enormous flexibility.

Deutsche Telekom will launch a commercial offer for the use of ultra-mobile transmission masts in spring 2024.

Related Posts: 

• Connectivity Technology Blog: Deutsche Telekom Demonstrates 12 Gbps on 5G Using 6 GHz Band
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Deutsche Telekom 5G Small Cells in Phone Boxes
• Private Networks Technology Blog: Deutsche Telekom Deploys 5G Campus Network in Port of Duisburg
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Omniflow Smart Street Lighting for 5G and IoT
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Deutsche Telekom Launches Indoor Booster 5G Repeater
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: FC Bayern and Deutsche Telekom bring 5G to the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany
• Operator Watch Blog: Deutsche Telekom's 'Tech Grounds' 2021
• Connectivity Technology Blog: Deutsche Bahn to get Seamless Mobile Network Along all Tracks
• Connectivity Technology Blog: 4G/5G Campus Networks and their Challenges 

Deutsche Telekom 5G Small Cells in Phone Boxes

Vodafone and BT/EE in UK have been deploying small cells in phone boxes for years, now the German operator Deutsche Telekom is going the same way as it starts dismantling the last remaining 12,000 public telephones of the 160,000 that used to exist. 

The Museum for Communication in Frankfurt (link) has models of the German Phone Boxes. The following is an extract from DT's blog post, translated in English by Google Translate:

The well-known "yellow telephone boxes" have not been there since 2018. There are currently around 12,000 public telephones from Telekom. The steles or so-called basic telephones are often located at train stations, airports or on exhibition grounds. They are not economical, they are outdated and consume large amounts of energy. On average, it is between 500 and 1,250 kilowatt hours per year - depending on the equipment at the location. By switching off the unused technology dinosaurs, between six and 15 million kilowatt hours can be saved annually. This corresponds to the power consumption of several thousand apartments. The supply of spare parts for the old ISDN technology is also being discontinued by the manufacturers and is becoming increasingly difficult. Despite all the good memories, it's about time, even with this look, 

Telekom will gradually phase out the service by early 2023. From November 21, 2022, coin payment will be gradually deactivated nationwide for the remaining 12,000 telephones. From the end of January, the payment function using telephone cards and thus the entire telecommunications service at the telephone pillars or booths will also be discontinued.

The dismantling of the steles will then begin, which is expected to be completed by the beginning of 2025. In consultation with the communities, Telekom continues to use around a quarter of the sites to improve local mobile communications without a public telephony function. It is converting the locations with so-called small cells. These are small antennas that amplify cellular signals and thus further improve cellular communications. 

Since the Telecommunications Act was amended at the end of 2021, there is no longer any obligation to operate public telephones. Due to the low usage, the public telephones no longer contribute to the basic service of the population. Even for emergency calls, the public telephones are no longer relevant. Here, too, the mobile phone takes over and supports, for example, by transmitting the exact location information.

This video below shows how some of these phone boxes will have Ericsson's small cells. There are two different approaches. Some of them will be D-RAN and some of them will be C-RAN, where C is Centralised in this case. Switch on the subtitles for English translation.

Related Posts: 

• The 3G4G Blog: Different Types of RAN Architectures - Distributed, Centralized & Cloud
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Vodafone UK improving coverage with Phone Boxes, Mini-masts & Manhole Covers
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Small Cells in BT Phone Boxes
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Deutsche Telekom Launches Indoor Booster 5G Repeater
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: FC Bayern and Deutsche Telekom bring 5G to the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Deutsche Telekom, Huber+Suhner are jointly developing 5G small cell antennas 

Omniflow Smart Street Lighting for 5G and IoT

I wrote about Omniflow back in 2017 so it was nice to see it in reality at MWC 2022 at Deutsche Telekom stand. A blog post on Telekom's website throws more light on the partnership:

Omniflow’s smart IoT lamp pole provides light, WiFi access, measures traffic flows, and many other services, all powered by sun and wind and using Telekom’s 5G technology.

Conventional street lights provide light, consuming a considerable amount of energy. Generating this energy releases up to 1.3 tonnes of CO2 per year. Not so with the smart IoT lamp pole manufactured by a Portuguese company, Omniflow. Omniflow’s state-of-the-art Smart Pole supports all kinds of practical uses such as traffic monitoring, smart parking, WiFi access, 5G small cells and many more. And thanks to solar modules, a wind turbine and integrated energy storage the smart pole can operate even during power network fails, being resilient and very energy-efficient. Compared with conventional street lighting, that enables operators to reduce their energy costs by over 90 percent.

A further reason for the growing global success of Omniflow smart poles is that the lights can be equipped with a wide range of IoT functions. Telekom supports this sustainable Smart City solution with LTE and 5G small cell modules for functions such as WiFi reception and data transmission to the cloud. Omniflow already has more than 2,000 smart poles in use around the world.

🏙️ The Omniflow Smart Pole declutters outdated infrastructure, reducing streetlight power consumption by more than 90%.

📉Find out more about Omniflow's journey to revolutionising city infrastructure as part of the @5PRING_WM accelerator here: https://t.co/BxYJUnBlrl pic.twitter.com/XUdk1RDqaq

— Digital Catapult (@DigiCatapult) May 6, 2022

Digital Catapult has a case study on Omniflow here:

A graduate in material engineering, Pedro Ruão is the company founder and CEO of Omniflow. He started his career in product design, developing 3D prototypes. 

In 2009, a magazine article caught Pedro’s attention – a feature on Richard Branson and his search for cleantech innovators. Although Pedro did not work directly with energy at the time, the article inspired him to start formulating ideas. 

Pedro’s original idea was to generate and sell energy using a hybrid turbine and solar energy device. However, he soon realised this would be difficult to scale, let alone compete with the megawatts produced by giant wind farms and solar parks. 

Instead, Pedro saw the potential of using edge computing and IoT technologies to transform the turbine into a multi-purpose device, designing the Omniflow Smart Pole. 

Powered by wind and solar with integrated battery storage, the Omniflow Smart Pole transforms a regular streetlight into a sustainable smart infrastructure. One unit can provide WiFi, IoT sensors, computer vision, traffic management and charging points for electric vehicles or phones, among many possible services, to drive additional revenue for cities.

In 2021, Omniflow joined the 5PRING Green Innovation accelerator programme, designed to help small businesses develop cutting-edge technologies that reduce carbon emissions using 5G connectivity. 

5PRING is part of a programme of strategic projects led by West Midlands 5G (WM5G) to accelerate the benefits of 5G throughout the region.

As the technical lead for the 5PRING Green Innovation accelerator programme, Digital Catapult supported Omniflow to validate its 5G use case and access 5G testbed facilities.

Refining the technical configuration setup to use the 5G testbed, Digital Catapult installed the Omniflow test equipment and remotely performed tests using a private 5G network. 

By reporting latency of 17ms – compared to 125ms with public 4G – Digital Catapult confirmed that Omniflow’s unit would allow the delivery of a real-time surveillance solution and process video analytics through 5G.

Omniflow installations now span all continents, from Asia, to Europe and the United States. In Dubai Internet City, Omniflow is in partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, showcasing 5G capabilities and innovation with an Omniflow Smart Pole equipped with computer vision, public WiFi and edge computing services. 

As a key market for green innovation, California has adopted a wide range of Omniflow solutions and 5G-enabled services across the state, including airport infrastructure, university campus security, city-wide smart lampposts and onboard technology for boats, used for Alcatraz Cruises. 

As cities across the UK commit to net zero targets, an Omniflow installation in Manchester recently reported energy savings of more than 90%, simply by replacing two-year-old LED streetlights.

Omniflow is also seeing a growing interest in drone charging stations, beneficial for managing solar parks, wind farms or surveillance for areas with a large perimeter. Powered by the smart pole, drones can also be used for logistics or medical emergencies, deploying defibrillators on demand.

With the expansion of its 5G offering and solutions, Omniflow plans to increase the battery capacity of its units, which could collectively generate megawatts of power.

Recently, Omniflow was selected as one of the 12 startups for AWS Sustainable Cities Accelerator. You can read the details on Pedro Ruão's LinkedIn post here.

Related Posts: 

• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Vodafone Portugal's “streetlamp”
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: 5G connectivity and IoT intelligence for Leuven Digital City Pole project
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: BrightSites Smart poles for Smart Cities
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: NEC's 5G Antenna-equipped Smart Street Lighting to be Trialled in Tokyo
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: LuxTurrim5G smart light pole concept
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Ubicquia Touting Streetlight-powered Small Cells for Densification
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: ZTE's 4G / 5G Street Lights 

Deutsche Telekom Launches Indoor Booster 5G Repeater

On his LinkedIn post, Dr. Alex Jinsung Choi, Deutsche Telekom Senior Vice President, Head of Strategy & Technology Innovation and COO of O-RAN Alliance announced the launch of Telekom Deutschland GmbH's Indoor Booster 5G in Bavaria. The post said:

This small low-power repeater brings 5G into offices and homes that did not have sufficient indoor coverage of mobile networks before. It enables customers to experience best streaming, gaming, education services, home office and video conferences with 5G indoors.

I am proud to announce that this new product is result of the cooperation of Deutsche Telekom with our strategic partner SK Telecom. SKT developed and launched 5G repeaters in 2019. In 2020, DT and SKT colleagues trialed a customized 5G repeater in a customer test in Germany which was starting point for the successful launch this year.

Furthermore, the Indoor Booster 5G is the first product of Techmaker GmbH, the tech joint venture of SK Telecom and Deutsche Telekom. I would like to thank all the many colleagues in Techmaker, SK Telecom and Deutsche Telekom who made the project a success!

We looked at SK Telecom's In-building 5G NR Repeaters couple of years back here.

The website explains the working of the booster as can be seen in the picture on the top. All information is in German and is translated using Google translate below: 

The 5G signal is picked up by an antenna on the outside and routed inwards by cable to a so-called booster. This only requires a 230V connection. This results in faster cell phone reception even in remote rooms with stable walls. You can continue to use the Indoor Booster 5G with your existing mobile phone contract.

The Indoor Booster 5G consists of an outside antenna and a booster inside. You should be authorized to have an antenna installed on your building and to grant access.

Couple of FAQ's have interesting info as well:

Why can you only rent the Indoor Booster 5G and not buy it?

Since the indoor booster reproduces the cellular signal, Telekom is the operator of the device and cannot transfer ownership of it to the customer.

Why do I have to commission the installation service?

Since the Indoor Booster reproduces the cellular signal, Telekom is responsible for the operation of the device and must ensure that the radio signal does not interfere with the cellular network. At the installation appointment, you will also be advised where the external antenna is best placed in order to achieve the best possible improvement in performance.

If you own one of these, we would love to hear from you about your experience.

Related Posts:

• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: SK Telecom's In-building 5G NR Repeaters and 'Layer Splitter'
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: 5G Small Cells at Home
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: FC Bayern and Deutsche Telekom bring 5G to the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Deutsche Telekom, Huber+Suhner are jointly developing 5G small cell antennas
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: SPL Looking to Beam 4G/5G from an Aircraft
• Operator Watch Blog: Deutsche Telekom's 'Tech Grounds' 2021
• Connectivity Technology Blog: Deutsche Bahn to get Seamless Mobile Network Along all Tracks 

SPL Looking to Beam 4G/5G from an Aircraft

While we talk about satellite connectivity, drones, HAPS, UAVs, etc., we don't necessarily think about connectivity through an aircraft. Last year, we looked at the announcement from Deutsche Telekom and Stratospheric Platforms Limited (SPL) where they talked about the world's first successful demonstration of LTE/4G voice and data connectivity over a platform flying at the edge of the stratosphere and fully integrated into a commercial mobile network.

The main advantage of aircraft is that you do not have to worry about designing a new system and can carry higher loads. The disadvantage I can see is that you won't be able to charge using solar cells. That is why the SPL system is using "environmentally-friendly hydrogen fuel cell power system". The SPL website says:

• The platform is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system
• Hydrogen is stored in liquid form, using our breakthrough technology, to deliver the highest energy density source of any aviation platform in the world
• Not reliant on solar energy and its associated limitations
• Low environmental impact – water vapour exhaust, no NOx emissions and low noise

They have also developed the world's largest commercial airborne communications antenna. You can see the specific details for the DT deployment that I covered in the earlier post here. Regarding the antenna, the website says:

The Fastest 5G airborne antenna in the world

• The antenna works with all current and future standards (including 3G, LTE/4G, 5G)
• Compatible with all consumer smartphones without any hardware or software changes
• Beam coverage can be formed to match specific shapes, e.g. motorways, canals or shipping lanes

Cambridge Consultants, who are working closely with SPL for the antenna design, have more details on this here.

This Reuters video below provides a lot of technical information.

Let us know if you think we will see more of these going forward in the future.

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OpenSoftHaul - Disaggregated White Box Solution from TIP

Telecom Infra Project (TIP) is on a mission to disaggregate all network components so backhaul is no exception. OpenSoftHaul (OSH) is a wireless backhaul transport solution, adopting the principles of an open and disaggregated architecture as can be seen in the picture above. A detailed specification is available here. 

Axiata, Deutsche Telekom, MTN, Telefónica, and TIM Brasil have been coordinating a joint RFI to assess the global technology landscape for building the first-in-the-world service providers-driven Open and Disaggregated wireless backhaul solutions as a part of the Telecom Infra Project’s Wireless Backhaul Project Group (WBH PG). A press release on their website said:

The industry’s leading hardware and software technology providers have been asked to participate in the RFI, share information on their current technical capabilities, and supported features to measure the level of compliance and their plans to build solutions that fulfill the OpenSoftHaul (OSH) technical requirements developed in TIP.

“The Wireless Backhaul Project Group is a multi-operator led program. By having worked together since the ideation phase, we decided to execute a joint RFI to maximize the demand signal to the industry and the technology makers to accelerate innovation with solutions that will promote deployment flexibility and will lead the way in automation and operational efficiency,” said Dimitris Siomos, Principal Network Expert at Deutsche Telekom Group.

Multiple technology providers have answered the RFI, focusing on one or multiple components of the wireless backhaul system and have gone through a detailed technical evaluation with the operators of all RFI answers based on the following criteria: solution architecture, openness, functionality, scalability, availability & solution roadmap.

Following the technical evaluation, the operators have identified the following best positioned suppliers (in no particular order) :

• For HW ODU : Aviat Networks, Ceragon, Intracom Telecom & SIAE Microelectronica
• For HW IDU : Alpha Networks, Ceragon, Delta, Edgecore Networks & UfiSpace
• For NOS SW : Aviat Networks, Ceragon, Adva Optical Networking, IP Infusion, Altran, Exaware & Infinera

The technical specifications document, represents the alignment of the operators on the transformation needed in the wireless backhaul technology. Together, they have defined the key aspects of an OpenSoftHaul product, including performance, openness, standardized interfaces, scalability, flexibility of deployment, operation, automation, and total cost of ownership.Earlier this year, the WBH PG published the technical specifications document of the OpenSoftHaul (OSH) solution.

The technical specifications document, represents the alignment of the operators on the transformation needed in the wireless backhaul technology. Together, they have defined the key aspects of an OpenSoftHaul product, including performance, openness, standardized interfaces, scalability, flexibility of deployment, operation, automation, and total cost of ownership.

The OpenSoftHaul RFI announcement webinar also provides a lot more details on OSH. It is embedded below.

OpenSoftHaul RFI Announcement from Telecom Infra Project on Vimeo.

Disaggregation is expected to play a huge role in future networks where operators are looking for plug and play components from multiple vendors to reduce dependency on any single vendor as well as reduce the TCO. We will start seeing some major rollouts of this in the next couple of years.

Related Posts:

• The 3G4G Blog: Understanding the TCO of a Mobile Network
• Connectivity Technology Blog: Different Types Of Service Providers
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• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Leveraging Streetlights for the Digital Future
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: TIP Webinar on Open Optical & Packet Transport (OOPT)
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• The 3G4G Blog: A quick tutorial on Open RAN, vRAN & White Box RAN

FC Bayern and Deutsche Telekom bring 5G to the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany

Allianz Arena is a football stadium in Munich, Bavaria, Germany with a 70,000 seating capacity for international matches and 75,000 for domestic matches. Widely known for its exterior of inflated ETFE plastic panels, it is the first stadium in the world with a full colour changing exterior.

The official website, not too long ago, announced that 5G mobile connection is now available in the stadium and complements the previous LTE network.

A total of eleven 5G antennas in and around the stadium ensure the best network quality in the Allianz Arena. This new mobile connection makes it possible to transmit larger amounts of data more quickly - almost in real time. As soon as the stadium reopens, every visitor will now have the capacity to upload multiple pictures or videos.

Telekom Blog had more details (Google translated from German):

When the Allianz Arena was opened in 2005, mobile communications were still in the middle of the GSM era. And the cell phones were from Nokia. Since then, UMTS ( 3G ) and LTE ( 4G ) have also moved into the FC Bayern stadium . Now 5G is added. To this end, Telekom has set up antennas in three places. Where exactly, knows Frank Buchholz, the radio network planner for the arena. First of all, there is "an antenna behind the facade that is not visible from the outside. It supplies the motorway, the driveway and the esplanade" - in other words, the large square in front of the stadium where fans meet.

It continues on the other side of the Esplanade: "There we have a location in the Park and Ride building. It also supplies the Esplanade and the ways to the subway." And besides, "of course we have the antennas that are in the stadium. They supply the bowl inside and provide a 5G basic service".

A lot of bandwidth is required for 75,000 spectators who come to the Allianz Arena for every home game - if there is no Corona . Because 75,000 people, that corresponds to the population of a larger city. And almost everyone wants to send their selfies, photos and videos of the games directly from the arena to their homes, or post them on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

In the Allianz Arena, Telekom installed so-called "massive MIMO " antennas for 5G. With this state-of-the-art technology currently available, a large number of antennas in a single housing ensure particularly high bandwidths. In addition, radio technology, power supply and cooling are housed together.

All this makes the 5G antennas not only particularly powerful, but also particularly heavy. An antenna weighs up to 45 kg. With three units, in order to be able to emit the signal in all directions, this can amount to around 135 kg, which were hoisted under the roof of the Allianz Arena and assembled there. "This high weight must be taken into account for roof loads, statics and wind loads. That is a massive intervention in the infrastructure of such an object," says Telekom radio network planner Frank Buchholz.

He also had to take into account and calculate that the antennas for GSM, UMTS and LTE also remained in operation in order to really be able to provide all visitors to the stadium with mobile communications. In the end, the 5G assembly in Fröttmaning worked perfectly - because the planning was as clever as an action by Thomas Müller.

Although 5G smartphones are only gradually coming onto the market, the new antennas should already offer 5G coverage with high quality and high area coverage. To do this, they use the 3.6 GHz spectrum for which Deutsche Telekom bought the frequencies in 2019. "This has the advantage that we can offer there in the gigabit range and that we have an undisturbed spectrum that is not yet fully utilized," explains radio network planner Buchholz.

The extremely fast 3.6 GHz spectrum already enables downloads at 1,000 megabits per second. For football fans for comparison: This is at least as fast as left-back Alphonso "Phonzie" Davies, the new Bayern rocket from Canada.

Shortly after the installation, a test with the 5G smartphone on the esplanade in front of the stadium showed a speed of 889 megabits / second. And that is by no means the end of the story, as the UMTS example shows. There, the downloads increased from an initial 384 kilobits / second to a maximum of 42 megabits / second within a few years. This shows the enormous potential of successor 5G.

And in the future, the new mobile radio in the Allianz Arena will also enable completely new applications - such as graphics that are placed directly over the smartphone's camera image using augmented reality (AR). Then everyone can see the calibrated offside line on their cell phone , or cheer a goal from all perspectives.

Here is the video, in German with no English subtitles. It still gives an idea on how the installation was done.



If you know more details, feel free to add in comments below.

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• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Verizon's got Balls and Small Cells
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Sprint's Small Cells in the stadium

Deutsche Telekom, Huber+Suhner are jointly developing 5G small cell antennas

According to Telekom press release:

Deutsche Telekom, Huber+Suhner are jointly developing 5G small cell antennas

Deutsche Telekom is now also preparing its network for the use of 5G small cell antennas. To do so, it is collaborating with Huber+Suhner, the specialist for electrical and optical connectivity. The Swiss company has developed five small cell antennas for Deutsche Telekom that support 4G and 5G frequencies. The Sencity Urban antennas cover the range of frequencies from 1.7 to 4.2 GHz. Small cells are small amplifiers for the mobile network. The data throughput can thus be systematically expanded in areas where many customers are on the move or surfing.

The new small cell antennas first operate in Deutsche Telekom’s 4G network. They can be upgraded to 5G in just a few simple steps. Sencity Urban antennas will be used for the first time in Kiel, Lüneburg, Osnabrück, Munich, Mülheim and other cities.

Small cells will play an increasingly important role in Deutsche Telekom’s network in the future. They are creating a significant increase in data capacity in their coverage area. This is currently up to an additional 150 MBit/s. The new types of Huber+Suhner antenna make it possible to increase quality further with what is referred to as the MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology. Using this technology, several antennas provide higher data throughput – both at the transmitters and in the receiver.

“Small cell antennas are an important component of our expansion strategy. We can systematically cover squares and streets with the new antennas. This helps us create more capacity in the downtown areas and thus further optimize our network,” states Walter Goldenits, Telekom Deutschland’s CTO. “A big added value of our Swiss partner’s antennas is their flexible handling: we can convert the supply to 5G in a few easy steps.”

The small cell antennas made by Huber+Suhner will be installed on public telephone boxes, bus and streetcar shelters, walls, or on LED furniture. There are various types of antennas and housing, adapted to the various requirements. Omnidirectional antennas are used for market squares, for example, and directional antennas for narrow streets.

Small cells will be required in the future to provide urban areas with 4G and 5G. Combined with the conventional locations, the network can thus provide the necessary coverage and capacity to supply more and more wireless devices. The Sencity Urban antennas are very compact and can be easily installed in existing infrastructures. This saves space and enables future networks to perform at their best.

The press release is also available on Huber+Suhner site here.

Back in May, Huber+Suhner had already announced outdoor MIMO antennas for 5G Urban Deployments:

HUBER+SUHNER has developed small omnidirectional and directional antennas to maximise performance. The new SENCITY Urban 100 and 200 outdoor MIMO antennas cover both 4G and 5G high frequency ranges and are as compact as possible for discreet installation in different types of street furniture, such as bus shelters, poles or walls, depending on the location, thanks to various bracket mounting options.

Further details:

• SENCITY® Urban 100
• SENCITY® Urban 200

Related Posts:

• Small Cell Installation Challenges
• AT&T's Small Base Stations on Wooden Poles
• Antennas for Small Cells and C-RAN

Deutsche Telekom: Tackling the data deluge with help from customers' Wi-Fi

From a recent ZDNet article:

...Deutsche Telekom putting its foot firmly in the Wi-Fi offload camp, and marks a further signal of Wi-Fi's growing importance to operators who seek alternative ways of managing rampant mobile data traffic.

"The astonishing increase in data traffic calls for network optimisation and expansion, as well as the implementation of new high-speed networks," said Deutsche Telekom spokesman Dirk Wende, citing comments made by outgoing Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann. "The partnership with FON fits perfectly with Telekom's network expansion strategy. Wi-Fi and hotspots can be used to divert heavy data traffic to fixed-line networks and thus reduce the load on mobile networks."

Deutsche Telekom sees Wi-Fi as complementary to its existing services, and certainly has no plans to blanket Germany (a geographically large country) with its own Wi-Fi hotspots.

As it builds up its Wi-Fi offering, the operator is continuing with its LTE rollout across Germany, aiming for 85 percent population coverage by the end of 2016. Wende said Deutsche Telekom doubled the number of its LTE sites by the end of 2012 compared to 2011, and has deployed LTE services in 1800MHz spectrum in more than 100 cities.

"With Wi-Fi To Go we want to extend our Wi-Fi network; a wide area coverage with Wi-Fi like we have with mobile is not the intention," said Wende. "Wi-Fi is a complement to mobile and fixed lines. In our mind we want our customers to be always best connected — it doesn't depend on the technology."

Deutsche Telekom is launching the Wi-Fi To Go service based on the FON partnership, and said by 2016 it wants to set up more than 2.5 million additional hotspots in Germany through the offering. As part of the FON deal, Deutsche Telekom customers now have access to some eight million hotspots worldwide, with Deutsche Telekom adding 12,000 hotspots to the FON pot...

Complete article: How one mobile operator is tackling the data deluge with help from customers' Wi-Fi | ZDNet:

This brings us to the same debate as I mentioned in a post earlier 'Is Wi-Fi the Third RAN?'