According to reports from ZDNet Korea and official statements from Samsung, Samsung plans to launch the latest version of its 5G vRAN software technology, vRAN 3.0, within 2023. As part of Samsung's vRAN collaboration with Intel, This software will provide optimization processing for the Intel vRAN Boost in the 4th generation Intel Xeon processors.
Notably, vRAN Boost is directly equipped with the 4th generation Xeon Scalable processor, which saves both power and construction costs. Currently, it has already passed the application test and the call test. Related solutions are expected to be officially launched in the second half of 2023.
vRAN utilizes the Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technology to separate radio and signal processing. It turns RAN functions virtual and into software, thus transforming dedicated base stations into flexible and scalable ones. It is also directly compatible with existing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) servers, which helps reduce infrastructure construction costs and allows telecom service providers to no longer be tied to proprietary hardware.
Besides Intel, Samsung is also actively developing and launching vRAN, cores, dedicated network solutions, and AI automation tools. Intel and Samsung have been collaborating on vRAN since 2017. Through commercial telecom networks in the US, the UK, and Japan, they verified the performance of the comprehensive solutions.
It is also worth noting that Samsung has recently succeeded in supplying vRAN solutions in the US market and has continued to expand its market share. According to reports by Korea's ET News, after becoming the primary vRAN supplier for US telecom company Verizon, Samsung has also supplied vRAN and open radio access network (O-RAN) to another US telecom service provider Dish Network.
