Vodafone is pursuing open radio access network (open RAN) technology from many angles, and one of those angles is silicon.
Yesterday, Santiago Tenorio, who is director of Network Architecture at Vodafone and Chairman of the Board with the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), talked about Vodafone’s work in regard to open RAN semiconductors at TIP’s Fyuz event in Madrid, Spain.
Vodafone issued a press release yesterday, saying it’s working with Arm to fast-track the development of new open RAN platforms, using Arm-based architectures. “This next generation of platforms featuring high-performance Arm-based processors are optimized for use in open RAN base stations,” said the announcement.
But during his presentation on stage at Fyuz, Tenorio talked about Vodafone’s work with Intel.
For years, Intel and Arm have been competitors in the telecom ecosystem. Intel makes the x86 chips that are used in the vast majority of common-off-the-shelf servers (COTS). These servers are used by telcos that want to disaggregate hardware from software and run the software on COTS. For its part, Arm does not manufacture silicon. Rather, it designs silicon that other companies then manufacture. The relationship between the two companies has evolved in recent years. And in September, Intel confirmed that it has become an investor in Arm.
Yesterday, Tenorio said that Vodafone and Intel have been working together on semiconductor development at Vodafone’s R&D center in Malaga, Spain.
“We remain fully convinced that it’s absolutely critical for open RAN to have advanced silicon incorporating the needs and responding to the needs of higher capacity but also more sophisticated and sometimes third-party ideas integrated in this silicon itself for advanced technologies like AI, cyber security, machine learning,” said Tenorio.
He added, “Today, we are announcing that we’re expanding that cooperation. Intel will be producing actual silicon containing that intellectual property in testing sample quantities. With this agreement we will actually get the silicon from Texas in enough quantities to develop prototypes. Can you imagine how much this is going to accelerate the innovation?”
He said Vodafone’s work with Intel also involves collaboration with many other companies at the Malaga facility. “Out of all that you can expect a lot of innovation in terms of algorithms and technologies that eventually will go into silicon,” said Tenorio. “We’ll no longer be limited by the long cycles and also upfront investments that are often required to accessing silicon even in testing sample quantities.”
He added, “We chose Intel because they are immensely strong in silicon, and Intel chose us because of our network credentials.”