The project aims to acquire knowledge and expertise in the development of open network solutions for the Brazilian telecommunications market
Dell Technologies and Inatel — Instituto Nacional de Telecomunicações — have teamed up, within the scope of Law nº 8,248, of 1991, to promote a Research & Development project that aims to build, analyze and develop tools and technological innovations that can be used to enhance Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) in 5G.
The purpose of the project, which began in June this year, is to develop and implement artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions, specifically on RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) technology. The intention is to create and run applications known as xApps to automate the control and optimize the efficiency of the open mobile access network based on data and algorithms.
With the implementation of 5G underway in the country and the use of many technologies that are still in an embryonic stage, Dell Technologies seeks, with the support of Inatel, to acquire knowledge and expertise in the development of solutions for Open RAN. This has been one of the main focuses of mobile service operators due to its approach of disaggregating hardware and software functions and with open interfaces, ensuring interoperability between telecommunications infrastructure manufacturers and continuous innovation.
According to Gerson Freire, architecture director for enterprise at Dell Technologies in Brazil, the project aims to promote knowledge and generate prototypes for Open RAN that can serve as a reference for the telecommunications market. “We want to help encourage the adoption of technology in Brazil, as we understand that there is a lot of potential in its use by mobile service operators, and the application of artificial intelligence techniques in the access network can bring great benefits in terms of automation of operations and consequent improvement of the experience for the end customer”, he says.
“This project is extremely important for us to be able to promote Open RAN in Brazil, as we are building, in partnership with Dell, a foundation of knowledge that will make it possible to go beyond applied research, that is, to develop solutions aimed at Open RAN, as well as applications xApps for RIC”, explains Inatel's business development specialist, Gleyson Santos.
The project includes the participation of researchers from Inatel's academic community, as well as specialists from the technical team, who work in development and interaction with the Dell Technologies team. In addition to the studies, testing and experimentation of solutions and the development of a Proof of Concept for an xApp RIC application for OpenRAN networks are also planned. The project is expected to be completed by March 2023.
The partnership follows a series of initiatives already promoted by Dell Technologies together with Inatel to boost the adoption of Open RAN by the market. In March of this year, the institute inaugurated the open field program, promoted in conjunction with the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), which uses servers from Dell's PowerEdge line as part of its technological infrastructure. The objective of the program is to promote the collaboration, development and adoption of open telecommunications solutions.
