Global Open RAN suppliers scale advanced connectivity in UK

As the drive for the use of open telecoms technology in the UK gains further pace, deep tech innovation organisation Digital Catapult believes it has added further momentum to the Open RAN innovation by signing five international suppliers to its advanced connectivity programme, offering access to what it said was the UK’s only Open Testing and Integration Centre (Otic) to trial, validate and scale Open RAN offerings, boosting network innovation and supply chain diversity.

Digital Catapult works to provide technical validation, tailored market readiness support and consultancy for companies in the UK telecoms landscape. This includes guidance on commercialisation pathways, access to potential channel partners for customers and information on real-world deployment challenges. It also spans adopters’ needs, pain points, barriers to adoption and practical application of new technology.

As it explained the importance of signing the new vendors to its ecosystem, the association said it was on a mission to help build resilience in the UK’s advanced connectivity infrastructure and supply chains, supporting UK mobile network operators (MNOs) by broadening access to a pipeline of new suppliers. The net result, it assured, was enabling faster, scalable deployment of Open RAN technologies and diversifying the market by helping smaller suppliers to scale successfully.

The participating suppliers to the programme will now gain access to Digital Catapult’s advanced lab, which is said to be the first and only UK-based Otic.

Accreditation means suppliers can be certified and badged post-completion, verifying and validating their services with a view to driving successful partnerships with MNOs, and injecting a suite of interoperable innovations into the market.

Successful participants will receive badges for interoperability and end-to-end testing, which Digital Catapult regards as critical for instilling confidence among MNOs and streamlining the supplier selection processes. 

Participants in the scheme now comprises Accelleran, Antevia Networks, Benetel, G Reigns, IS-Wireless and Pegatron.

Commenting on the addition of the suppliers, UK telecoms minister Liz Lloyd said: “Better connectivity transforms lives – creating jobs, boosting business and unlocking the full potential of new technology. This programme gets innovative tech out of the lab and into the world faster, helping to tackle poor connectivity challenges, diversify our telecoms supply chains and support economic growth.”

Digital Catapult chief technology officer Joe Butler said: “Badging and certifying participants will be key to scaling new Open RAN innovations, supporting vendors that may not otherwise have the recourse or capacity to trial and validate their solutions.

“As an Otic, we can provide a trusted environment to rigorously test solutions, and this next phase of our programme will support UK operators by reducing integration complexity and diversifying the market with reliable new solutions.”

Also part of the offer is the Sonic Labs facility and innovation programme, delivered in partnership with Ofcom and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Since launching, it has tested 71 Open RAN products from 26 global suppliers, establishing itself as a key driver towards open, interoperable and secure advanced connectivity and network infrastructure in the UK.