Mavenir replaced the Chinese-provided components on Triangle’s network with its own open infrastructure
Mavenir said today that is has turned on a fully cloud-native converged packet core, Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) and O-RAN compliant Radio Units (O-RUs) for Triangle Communications. Triangle Communications is undergoing a full network transformation as part of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rip-and-replace program, which is designed to eliminate equipment and services in U.S. providers’ networks that pose a national security threat.
Mavenir replaced the Chinese-provided network components “on a turnkey basis” with its own open network infrastructure, all of which are “upgradeable” to 5G, said the vendor.
Triangle Communications provides telecom services to roughly 17,000 subscribers living in parts of 16 counties in Montana, and said it chose Mavenir for this transition due in part to the challenging nature of the state’s landscape.
“We selected Mavenir for their Core, Open RAN, O-RUs and systems integration capability and expertise, to address the FCC’s Rip and Replace requirements quickly. We understand the challenges in doing work in remote areas, like Montana, which is why the Mavenir network was perfect for this unique area and customer base,” explained Triangle Communications CEO, Craig Gates.
Rip-and-replace woes
The rip-and-replace program is part of the U.S. Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019. As part of this Act, Congress allocated funds to assist small and rural operators with this costly transition. However, the $1.9 billion that Congress earmarked for the rip-and-replace program is only about a third of the $5.6 billion request by telecom service providers.
In July, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel penned a letter to Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, insisting that the funds Congress appropriated for the rip-and-replace program is drastically insufficient. Specifically, Rosenworcel wrote that there’s a $3.08 billion shortfall in the rip and replace program funding. Without it, the FCC plans to apply the prioritization scheme Congress already specified, which puts service providers with 2 million or fewer customers at the front of the line. But it will also prorate reimbursement funds to 39.5% of their demand, far short of requests.
The rip-and-replace directive puts small and rural carriers, like Triangle, in a tough spot because without sufficient government funding, they may face insurmountable capital costs. And unless they replace that gear, they run the risk of losing Universal Service Fund (USF) eligibility. Fortunately for Triangle, it found a solid partner in Mavenir.
“These transitions are vital for today’s Communication Service Providers (CSPs) to undergo, in maintaining their competitive edge and ensuring the security of their critical communications networks,” said Mavenir CEO Pardeep Kohli.
