Vodafone Idea on Wednesday said the company is in talks with Samsung to deploy its 4G and 5G radio access network solutions. Over the past 12-18 months, the two companies have conducted network trials in Chennai.
Vodafone Idea said it has expanded Samsung deployment to the Karnataka and Bihar circles following positive trial results and performance on a par with existing suppliers.
The deployment has enabled the telecom operator to meet its 5G minimum rollout obligation (MRO) in Chennai, Karnataka and Bihar using NSA vRAN (non-standalone virtualised radio access network) architecture.
“This vRAN deployment, delivered through Samsung’s innovation and joint technological strategic initiatives, is in sync with our technology transformation roadmap and enriched vendor ecosystem,” Jagbir Singh, chief technical officer at Vodafone Idea, said in a press note.
“We see a major role ahead for hybrid architecture in delivering the network enhanced capabilities that will push new dimensions in radio architecture,” Singh added.
Samsung’s vRAN solution will enable Vodafone Idea to bring greater flexibility, scalability and resource efficiency to network management. It will ensure quality, credibility and robustness, delivering performance similar to that of traditional hardware-based equipment, the company said.
Vodafone Idea expects to start rolling out its 5G network over the next six months and is in talks with vendors for the same.
