The push from network operators to use open interfaces in the 5G radio access network has led to new product requirements for equipment vendors. Open interfaces offer the promise of greater flexibility in service provider networks, but this flexibility also introduces a new variable into the product delivery cycle. This “variable” – common interpretation of the standards – is not generally under the control of the service provider, and equipment providers do not regularly discuss their interpretations with others outside of standards bodies. Using this established development approach, a significant challenge could arise when the products reach service provider labs. With multi-vendor open architectures, this approach can be problematic. While the operators and the network equipment providers jointly recognize the need for a different development approach, the gap of a coordinated and collaborative effort to verify functional product integration over the open interfaces remained.
OTIC: An Industry Innovation for O-RAN Verification
Feb 06. 2020Until recently.
The Open Test and Integration Center (OTIC) was formed to fill this gap. Led by global wireless service providers with participation from equipment manufacturers and system integrators, the open RAN verification initiative launched last September. Many network equipment providers say they can provide these capabilities as a service, as many do provide mobile device interoperability verification services. However, the outcomes of these vendor-managed verification activities focus on the success of the device testing with the vendor’s RAN equipment. Under the leadership of the service providers, OTIC’s scope and goals of interface verification will lead to the validation of the implementations of components in the open RAN ecosystem.
OTIC’s Mandate: Success in Multi-vendor O-RAN
As the O-RAN Alliance focuses on open RAN interfaces and the use of open source solutions, OTIC is providing an environment for validating these solutions. This innovative approach allows equipment manufacturers, system integrators, and software providers to confirm that the products they are delivering are functionally compliant to the specifications of the O-RAN Alliance. It is crucial that this integration and interoperability of the multiple vendors’ implementations of disaggregated 5G access infrastructure occur before network deployment, reducing the burden on service providers for lab compliance testing.
By creating a common platform and set of processes, OTIC will allow vendors to expedite the development of hardened new RAN technologies and products that will support real-world deployments. OTIC’s initial focus is to ensure RAN components from participating equipment providers support standardized open interfaces and can successfully interoperate based on the test specifications published by O-RAN Alliance.
The OTIC participants anticipate that new partners will join and bring their expertise to create a broad set of validated RAN solutions that will conform to the O-RAN specifications.
Samsung Brings Interoperability Experience to OTIC
With its active leadership and participation in the deployment of multi-vendor networks around the world, Samsung knows both the questions to ask and the procedures to run. With field-proven expertise, Samsung brings the knowledge and skills to identify implementation gaps and abilities to collaborate on mutually beneficial solutions.
While 3GPP specifies how functions work, it is not uncommon for testing to identify issues in interoperability between vendors, thus adding pressure to quickly resolve issues. On certain occasions, joint efforts between vendors and service providers in Korea were required to quickly identify field performance issues and develop software updates to resolve them. While not common, this type of live network interoperability testing poses many challenges that the OTIC environment will reduce in a lower-stress setting.
With the OTIC platform, Samsung and the O-RAN partners can collaborate on the verification of interfaces while also creating solutions in a controlled testing environment. The ability to jointly solve challenges benefits everyone participating in the OTIC environment.
As a founding member of OTIC, Samsung commits to driving innovation of open RAN products further by participating in these verification activities. Samsung is confident that OTIC will play a key role in Open RAN development. This critical task of verification will help accelerate the O-RAN platform development of a robust ecosystem by empowering collaboration amongst the network operators, new and traditional RAN vendors, and system integrators.