VMware has recently published a series of video interviews with members of our RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) developer partner program that highlight the extensive range of applications and use cases being built on the VMware RIC platform. VMware RIC opens up the RAN to the innovative capabilities of specialized RAN application developer companies, and provides our CSP customers with compelling solutions to critical business challenges that are impacting their ability to monetize investments in 5G infrastructure.
VMware offers both a near-real time RIC, called the VMware Distributed RIC, and a non-real time RIC (VMware Centralized RIC) which is part of the VMware SMO framework. Applications called ‘xApps’ that our partners build on the VMware Distributed RIC can directly control RAN sessions at per user or device level. ‘rApps’ built on the VMware Centralized RIC can perform intelligent analysis of RAN data and automatically update configurations to improve service or efficiency. The various members of our RIC developer partner program have different areas of expertise, and specialize in the development of xApps, rApps or both.
In comparison to the RIC solutions offered by other vendors, the VMware RIC is a truly open, RAN-vendor neutral platform, and xApps and rApps hosted on both types of VMware RIC can be used with RAN network functions from a range of vendors. This is an indispensable tool for CSPs adopting a multi-vendor RAN strategy, and ensures that any new applications deployed on the RIC can provide value across the entire network.
The first interview was recorded with Viavi Solutions, a company that plays a broad role in the RIC developer ecosystem. As well as developing a foundational Geolocation xApp, that can provide accurate location information to other RIC applications, Viavi also provides a RIC Testbed-as-a-Service solution that can be used by RIC developers, RAN Vendors and Communication Service Providers to validated RIC apps. Chris Murphy, Regional CTO EMEA at Viavi, and Henry Vinton, Business Development manager at VMware, discussed how this service accelerates the process of developing and validating RIC applications for all players in the industry.
Aira Technologies is a company that specializes in using generative AI to derive insights from RAN data, and use those insights to improve RAN performance and efficiency. In their video, Anand Chandrasekher, CEO and Founder of Aira, explained how their RAN GPT application acts as a co-pilot for RAN operations, and helps operators deal with the vast amounts of complex data generated in the network.
AirHop Communications is focussed on leveraging AI/ML to improve the results of RAN automation and optimization algorithms. In a conversation with Rakesh Misra, Director R&D Engineering at VMware, Anand Parikh, CEO of AirHop, detailed how the applications they build on the VMware RIC allow operators to take remedial actions proactively, rather than reactively responding to issues as they occur.
Cohere Technologies has developed highly advanced algorithms that radically improve how efficiently operators can utilize their valuable spectrum resources. In this video, Art King, Director of Product Management and Marketing at Cohere, and Lance Uyehara, Director of Product Management at VMware, discuss how the high-performance, low-latency capabilities of the VMware Distributed RIC can be used by Cohere’s Universal Spectrum Multiplier application to boost capacity across different types of RAN equipment.
Future Connections are using the open interfaces provided by the VMware RIC to bring the benefits of legacy SON applications to modernized radio access networks. Patricia Delgado, Global Sales Director at Future Connections, talked with Benoit Pelletier, from VMware’s Global Partner RIC Ecosystem, to explain how operators can port SON applications to the VMware RIC and quickly find the right solution for specific problems.
NetAI is a network intelligence company. They develop applications that essentially help operators to unlock the value that can be found in intelligence data taken from the network. Paul Patras, CEO and Co-Founder of NetAI explained how the unique capabilities that they have in neural engines provide real time and predictive insights into mobile network usage and performance.
Rimedo Labs is one of the companies that builds both rApps and xApps. Talking with Ari Uskudar, Product Development Lead at VMware, Pawel Kubczak, Project Manager at Rimedo, described how rApps that analyze network conditions over longer time-frames can provide informed policies to xApps for real-time traffic management that allow them to provide improved performance.
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