Vodafone and Mavenir are working on a small cell product based on OpenRAN technology, to provide indoor 4G connectivity for business customers.
Designed for business customers who occupy medium to large office spaces, the plug-and-play small cell equipment can ensure comprehensive mobile coverage in every corner of the office. The solution will provide 4G coverage initially.
The design of the indoor small call solution is based on the OpenRAN philosophy of interoperability. In this case, the software will be provided by Mavenir (Open vRAN), while Sercomm will provide the radio hardware.
The design and flexibility of the small cell solution means it will be interoperable with other OpenRAN compliant vendors.
A powerful, indoor small cell solution can offer several advantages to business customers. The simple plug and play installation means coverage can be instantly deployed, enabling seamless connectivity for every device in the office.
The interoperability of the OpenRAN ecosystem paves the way for long-term flexibility to work with a wider array of vendors for elements such as radio units, baseband hardware, and gateways.
“So far, OpenRAN deployment has focused on outdoor connectivity, but there is significant potential for this technology in the office environment,” says Vodafone chief network officer Andrea Dona, “a simple plug-and-play product, which includes all the attractive benefits of the OpenRAN philosophy, is one that can build on our strength of providing indoor coverage through both our macro network and our bespoke solutions.”