StarHub has made history by completing Singapore’s first Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) call on its 5G network. This milestone, achieved on 29 August 2024, represents a significant step forward in telecommunications. The breakthrough was made possible through a collaboration with NTT DOCOMO, with representatives from NTT DOCOMO, Keysight Technologies, and Fujitsu present at StarHub’s office to witness the field trial.
A milestone for Singapore’s 5G network
The successful Open RAN call marks an important development in how telecommunications networks are designed and operated. Ayush Sharma, StarHub’s Chief Technology Officer, highlighted the significance of this achievement, stating, “With the successful demonstration of our Open RAN, in collaboration with NTT DOCOMO, we are thrilled to be the first to bring it to market, marking this significant milestone for StarHub and Singapore.” He added that this move demonstrates StarHub’s commitment to offering innovative solutions that provide businesses with more value, flexibility, and customisation.
How Open RAN benefits enterprises
Open RAN differs from traditional Radio Access Network (RAN) by allowing businesses to customise various network components, such as radios and base stations, according to their specific needs. This decoupling of network elements enables enterprises to be “vendor-agnostic,” meaning they can use equipment from different suppliers that work together seamlessly. This approach not only provides more options but can potentially reduce costs for businesses. Additionally, Open RAN offers the capability to optimise network performance through RAN Intelligent Controllers, allowing enterprises to tailor network operations to their user demands.
Sadayuki Abeta, OREX Evangelist and Chief Open RAN Strategist of NTT DOCOMO, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, saying, “On top of giving MNOs the freedom of choice and lowering operational costs, Open RAN allows MNOs to keep up with the latest technology, freeing them from any particular provider’s roadmap. This opens the door to an infinite number of possibilities in how we build networks around the world, and NTT DOCOMO and OREX SAI are excited to partner with StarHub in this endeavour.”
Ensuring network readiness and future collaboration
To ensure the reliability and performance of Open RAN, Keysight Technologies thoroughly tested StarHub’s system. StarHub’s Open RAN achieved impressive results using Keysight’s UeSIM UE Emulation RAN Solutions, which simulates real network traffic. The network demonstrated a downlink throughput of up to 1.295Gbps and an uplink throughput of 73.5Mbps, with an average latency of 15 milliseconds. These results confirm the network’s readiness for consumer use and market adoption.
StarHub and NTT DOCOMO are committed to continuing their partnership to develop further and expand Open RAN capabilities. Together, they aim to pioneer technological advancements that will shape the future of communication, both in Singapore and globally.
