Orange exec: ‘The complexity of radio optimization is growing with 5G’
Orange will implement Nokia’s Self-Organizing Networks (SON) technology across all of its 5G markets, starting with France and Spain, which will allow the carrier to automate its radio network configuration and optimization processes, as well as and improve network performance and efficiency to support the increasing demands of 5G.
Mark Atkinson, who heads the RAN Product Line Management unit within Nokia Mobile Networks Business Group, explained the need to simplify and optimize 5G network operations, commentating that these types of deployments “look much simpler on paper than they do in the real world.”
“We appreciate and understand that our CSP customers have a technology stack that spans multiple vendors, which can lead to inefficiencies and complexity,” he continued. “Working with Orange and its global affiliates to optimize and simplify their multi-vendor networks is a challenge we relish and are proud to be part of.”
Because Nokia SON operates on top of any vendor’s radio technology, the vendors says that Orange can optimize its live commercial networks regardless of who built them and eliminate complexities that arise from multi-vendor and multi-layered networks and provide a better network quality to customers.
“As a long-term partner, Nokia was a natural choice to help us automate our mobile networks in different geographies,” said Arnaud Vamparys, senior VP of radio networks and 5G at Orange. “The complexity of radio optimization is growing with 5G beamforming and Nokia’s flexible, automated and multi-vendor platform enables us to maintain our exemplary network quality and customer satisfaction in the 5G era.”
Orange first launched 5G in three major Romania cities in November 2019. Since then, the carrier has taken a number of additional steps forward in its 5G efforts, including the launch of 3.5 GHz 5G services on December 3rd 2020 in 15 French municipalities, while in Spain, the carrier’s 5G network is expected to reach 90% of the population by 2022.
