Vodafone Group to Trial OpenRAN Technology in U.K.

By Adria Calatayud

Vodafone Group PLC (VOD.LN) said Monday that it plans to trial open radio access network, or OpenRAN, technology in the U.K., the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique, following trials in South Africa and Turkey.

The FTSE 100 telecommunications group said the U.K. will be the first developed market where it trials the technology, which is being introduced in Europe ahead of schedule.

OpenRAN standardizes the design and functionality of the hardware and software in the radio access networks--the infrastructure, masts and antennae that telecom operators use to carry mobile traffic--increasing the number of companies that can supply different components, Vodafone said.

This will allow the telecom industry to introduce a wave of new technology vendors, in addition to existing market leaders, Vodafone said. Huawei Technologies Co., Telefon AB L.M. Ericsson (ERIC-A.SK) and Nokia Corp. (NOKIA.HE) currently dominate the telecommunications-equipment market.

Write to Adria Calatayud at adria.calatayudvaello@dowjones

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 07, 2019 09:25 ET (13:25 GMT)

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