Scaling Up Network In Post-Covid World

A vendor-neutral hardware and software-defined, open-interface technology is what the industry needs to meet the growing demand for broadband in the lockdown times

- Rajesh Mishra

The outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic has put the telcos, across the world, in an unprecedented situation. The networks are choking with almost the entire humanity holed up in homes, and remote-working and -studying becoming the norm. The COVID-19 situation has disrupted social life and economic activities. It promises to bring a paradigm shift in our functioning and will lead to several long-term changes in our lives.

The service providers are hard-pressed to address the growing demand for broadband while ensuring that the quality of services is not impacted. What adds to the challenge is the fact that it is tough to increase capacity when it is virtually impossible to get new cell sites to strengthen the existing networks or to deploy 5G.

The service providers who had already deployed OpenRAN would have found it comparatively easier to efficiently handle the sudden surge in traffic and in ensuring the quality of services in these challenging situations.

Several telcos are deploying OpenRAN to benefit from a self-optimized, interoperable, and a more automated network. Global industry leaders, including MTN, Etisalat, Vodafone, and Telefonica, have already deployed and are benefitting from this disruptive technology.

Leveraging OpenRAN