Axiata to commercialise Open RAN for network leadership across emerging Asia

First and only Open RAN commercial pilots in Sri Lanka and
Malaysia

First
Open RAN solution commercially deployed with satellite backhaul

First
commercial deployment of TIP’s Evenstar Split 7.2. Radio Unit (RU) architecture

• Network
  modernisation gains traction as Axiata positions for network leadership across
  its footprint, with the commercial deployment of 2G and 4G single RAN Open RAN
  matching the performance of incumbents in brown field environment.
• Key
  strategic partnerships formed with world-class network solutions providers,
  Mavenir, Parallel Wireless and global IT giant Infosys lead to successful Open RAN
  commercial pilots in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 28 June 2021 –
Axiata
Group Berhad (“Axiata” or “the Group”) has embarked on an ambitious
network transformation program, leveraging Open Radio Access Networks (Open
RAN) as a key technology for  mobile
networks designed to narrow the digital divide and enhance rural connectivity
across Asia.

 

Eyeing large
scale commercial deployments by year end, the Group has successfully conducted Open
RAN commercial field pilots in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka through
strategic partnerships with leading global network solutions providers Mavenir
and Parallel Wireless and supported by Infosys as systems integrator (SI).

 

Through
its strategic partnership with Mavenir, the industry’s end to end network
software provider, Axiata has deployed the MAVair Open vRAN solution including
all G Open RAN, Packet Core and Mobile Network applications at selected sites, in
Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. To simulate non-ideal backhaul conditions,
especially for rural areas, the sites selected are connected with non-ideal
backhaul (microwave links), and in some cases satellite, making this the first satellite
backhaul powered Open vRAN sites in the world.

 

During
the testing phase, Axiata was also able to achieve the first live commercial
service integration of the Telecom Infra Project (TIP)’s Evenstar 4G Radio
through Mavenir’s MAVair O-RAN
based solution for Open RAN. Axiata is a participant
of the TIP initiative in which a global community of companies and
organisations are working together to accelerate the development and deployment
of open, disaggregated and standards-based technology solutions that deliver
high quality, low cost connectivity.

 

Axiata’s
commercial pilot also encompassed a collaboration with Parallel Wireless, the
US-based Open RAN company delivering all G, cloud-native Open RAN solutions. Axiata
successfully demonstrated commercial deployment of 2G and 4G Open RAN
connectivity within its network in Sri Lanka which is operated by Dialog
Axiata.

 

Parallel Wireless’s solutions enabled 2G and 4G technology to
be installed on the same radio units, with baseband deployed on a x86
commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) platform, and all other applications deployed on
Axiata’s OpenStack cloud infrastructure. The field trials now elevated to
commercial availability, included 3-Sector, 4-Sector and 6-Sector sites, and
demonstrated high quality network performance.

 

End
user experience was demonstrated to be seamless and, in some cases, superior in
terms of mobile broadband experience including next generation voice services.
Commercial deployment encompassed rural, sub-urban and urban environments.

 

The paradigm shift in telco networks towards Open RAN
requires system integration capabilities to bring together the ecosystem of
disaggregated components using standardised open interfaces on general purpose
hardware and ensuring interoperability in a carrier grade environment. Axiata
was supported by Infosys in executing multi-faceted system integrations
required to demonstrate the comprehensive coverage of Open RAN configuration
options.

 

Thomas Hundt, Axiata’s Group Executive Vice President – Technology said, “Open RAN is the future for mobile networks,
and it will be critical for 4G expansions as well as the 5G evolution that
Axiata’s markets will soon embrace. Aligning with our vision to become The Next
Generation Digital Champion, the benefits from open
networks will enable Axiata to better serve rising
connectivity needs across the region, especially in rural and underserved
areas, whilst ensuring sustainable value creation for our stakeholders.”

 

“Together with our partners Mavenir, Parallel Networks and
Infosys, and in line with the global connectivity push under the Telecom
Infrastructure Project, Axiata is committed towards embracing fully automated
infrastructure to boost the open networks ecosystem in Asia. Our successful
trials in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Indonesia prove that Open RAN solutions
enable greater operational and cost efficiencies using advanced technologies,
whilst also meeting the needs of our digital inclusion efforts across the
region. We look forward to taking the next step towards commercialization in
our pursuit of catalyzing game-changing advancements across emerging Asia,” he
said.

 

Pardeep Kohli, Mavenir President and CEO said, “Mavenir is delighted to work with Axiata on their radio network
transformation initiative and to achieve excellent results in the live everyday
environment, proving the extreme flexibility of Open vRAN. The collaboration
will transform existing networks into a dynamic, agile and cloud-native based
platform where Mavenir and Axiata will build the Networks of the Future.”

 

Keith
Johnson, President of Parallel Wireless said, “We are honored to partner with Axiata, replacing
their incumbent vendors equipment with our leading-edge Open RAN Solution to
enable 2G and 4G broadband services in Sri Lanka and other Axiata subsidiaries.
We are thrilled that the trials are successful, and we look forward to the
commercial deployments in 2021.”

 

Anand
Swaminathan, EVP & Global Industry Leader, Communications, Media &
Technology Infosys
said, “Open RAN is transforming the wireless architecture and is enabling
Telecom operators to be more competitive and innovative, while providing them
flexibility in RAN component suppliers’ ecosystem. The successful completion of
the field trial on live network was a major milestone for accelerating the
scaled deployment of virtual and Open RAN networks. Infosys is excited to be
the SI partner to Axiata in this transformational journey and is committed to
stand together to achieve many more milestones in the near future.”