Report
Project Goals:
DU-Volution’s primary goal was to promote the UK as an attractive source of 5G Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) solutions and development capability. DU-Volution aimed to improve supply chain options for the Distributed Unit (DU), perhaps the most complicated aspect of O-RAN supporting infrastructure, promoting the use of local vendors wherever possible.
Background:
As the project started in early 2022, the DU, the device which handles and manages radio signal processing, had typically been deployed using commercial compute platforms known as x86 COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) servers. A lack of carrier class features was holding UK operators back from adoption of this promising technology.
A number of challenges/barriers to entry were identified with the deployment of O-RAN technology into operator and 5G networks such as vendor lock in, form factor, replication of functions across compute platforms, power consumption, cost of equipment and added integration fees.
