O2 UK and NEC completed an open RAN trial in the country, as the operator continues to make strides in integrating the approach into its network infrastructure.

In a statement, O2 said it worked with Japan-based NEC, along with using virtualised RAN software from Altiostar, and hardware from GigaTera Communications and Supermicro, among others, to complete the trial on its core network.

O2 explained NEC helped define a customised open RAN architecture, optimised and adapted to the requirements of its mobile network, and also coordinated the desgn of the system.

NEC further provided end-to-end testing and interoperability verification, conducted at a dedicated open RAN laboratory it established in the UK in November 2020.

For O2 and parent Telefonica, the trial builds on progress in developing open RAN technologies.

In January 2020, the UK operator struck partnerships with a number of companies as part of a move to open up its RAN to non-traditional partners, including Mavenir, Dense Air, Wavemobile and Real Wireless.

Telefonica has pushed open RAN across its other markets, holding trials in Germany, Spain and Brazil.

Derek McManus, COO of O2 UK, said the partnership with NEC “promises to accelerate the provision and growth of open RAN solutons in the UK”.

“O2 will continue to transform our network through collaboration and the optimisation of new technologies such as open RAN,” he said.