Boost Mobile gains speed and flexibility with Open RAN — but hardware cost savings remain elusive
As 5G continues its global rollout, the question for operators isn’t whether to adopt it — but how. For Boost Mobile, the answer is Open RAN. The architecture, which emphasizes standardized, open interfaces between network components, has brought two key advantages to the operator’s network strategy: vendor flexibility and operational speed. But there’s one thing it hasn’t delivered yet — at least not directly: cost savings.
Breaking free from vendor and architectural lock-in
Traditional RAN deployments are typically built using proprietary equipment from a single vendor or a tightly integrated set of vendors. This model creates barriers to change, particularly when trying to replace or upgrade parts of the network.
Boost Mobile’s Open RAN approach flips that dynamic. “We are significantly less, if not completely immunized, against vendor lock-in,” Chief Technology Officer Eben Albertyn told RCR Wireless News. In fact, the flexibility has allowed them to switch out vendors on the fly — even in large-scale environments.
“We had a vendor on the radio network software side in two NFL-sized cities before Mavenir. There were reasons to change — Wednesday morning it was vendor X, Thursday morning it was Mavenir,” said Albertyn. “That is not how a traditional RAN situation is going to work.”
The executive further contrasted this with the more rigid traditional model, pointing to AT&T’s recent $14 billion RAN deal with Ericsson, which spans four years. “We moved the RAN software in NFL-sized cities in a night,” he emphasized.
In addition to being free from vendor lock-in, Albertyn said Boost Mobile is also free from architectural lock-in: “We don’t have architecture lock-in, where a vendor is able to monopolize components of the architecture so that as a result, you’re unable to move. I don’t have an architectural gun to my head.”
Speed and agility through open interfaces
Another key benefit of Open RAN, according to Albertyn, is the ability to adapt quickly. “System and architectural changes— we are able to make them at a very, very high pace,” he said.
Because Open RAN defines logical functions and standardizes how those functions communicate, it allows for predictable, reliable upgrades. “These interfaces are well-defined, which means the ability to make changes on either side is predictable,” he added. “So those would kind of be the big advantages that we see from using Open RAN.”
But, still waiting on hardware-level cost savings
While the operational benefits are clear, the executive was candid about one thing Open RAN hasn’t yet delivered: immediate, hardware-level cost savings. “I’ll be honest with you — what I don’t see yet is an outright cost benefit, on just buying the stuff,” Albertyn said.
That said, the picture changes when viewed through the lens of total cost of ownership (TCO). “If I had a certain containerized software provider remaining in my network that had predatory pricing and was becoming very draconian… versus where I am now? Yes, there is a massive cost benefit,” he noted. “But I mean box-for-box, from traditional RAN to Open RAN, I wouldn’t [say there’s] a massive benefit.”
Conclusion
Open RAN has delivered Boost Mobile clear advantages in terms of flexibility and agility. It allows the operator to make swift architectural changes and avoid vendor lock-in—two capabilities that traditional RAN architectures struggle to match. However, when it comes to raw hardware costs, the verdict is still out.
So while Open RAN may offer total cost of ownership (TCO) advantages over time — through flexibility, vendor competition, and operational efficiencies — the up-front costs of the actual hardware (servers, radios, switches, etc.) aren’t necessarily cheaper than traditional alternatives. For Boost, the real payoff lies not in cheaper infrastructure components, but in long-term control, optionality and faster innovation.
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