VMware has expanded its partnership with Samsung, resulting in the integration of Samsung’s O-RAN compliant virtualized RAN solutions and VMware Telco Cloud Platform as part of the DISH Wireless 5G network buildout.
According to a statement, this milestone strengthens ongoing efforts by the two companies to enable Communication Service Providers (CSPs) access to all the benefits of Open RAN networks.
The global 5G collaboration between VMware and Samsung was first announced in 2020. Since then, the two companies have developed a validated architecture and cell site deployment model that integrates the Samsung virtualized Distributed Unit (vDU), built on top of the VMware Telco Cloud Platform.
“VMware, together with Samsung, has developed the next-generation RAN by combining the power of software-defined, open interfaces, and scalable virtualization, all running in a cloud-native architecture. We’ve begun to crack the RAN code—this is the first step to full network programmability enabling the vision of networking on demand for dynamic applications,” said Lakshmi Mandyam, Vice President of Product Management and Partner Ecosystem, Service Provider and Edge, VMware.
The two companies are now working together to simplify the development of 5G Open RAN networks powered by a cloud-native architecture simpler for CSPs.
“We are excited to share that our collaboration with VMware is now delivering the power of 5G and Open RAN to CSPs with real network traffic running in the Core and RAN,” said Kicheol Lee, Vice President and Head of System S/W R&D, Networks Business, Samsung Electronics. “Together, we are making it easier for CSPs to embrace open, virtualized cloud-native technologies that will help accelerate the advancement of commercial 5G networks.”
