Viettel launches O-RAN 5G network utilising Qualcomm platform

This marks the world’s first ORAN 5G network utilising Qualcomm Technologies’ 5G RAN platforms, according to Viettel. The group is deploying over 300 sites across various Vietnamese provinces by the first quarter of 2025, with the potential for thousands more as part of nationwide and international expansion plans in 2025 and beyond.

Viettel launched the world’s first O-RAN 5G network utilising Qualcomm 5G RAN platforms. Photo: Qualcomm

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Viettel on the launch of the first commercial ORAN network utilising Qualcomm Technologies’ cutting-edge 5G RAN solutions,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager of technology planning and edge solutions at Qualcomm. “This milestone underscores our commitment to driving innovation in the telecommunications industry and enabling operators to deliver an enhanced 5G experience.”

“By leveraging our advanced technology, Viettel’s ORAN radio units, distributed units as well as RAN management with the Qualcomm Edgewise Suite, Qualcomm Technologies and Viettel are empowering greater network flexibility, efficiency, and performance, ultimately transforming the way people connect and communicate,” he added.

Initial deployments in Hanoi and Ha Nam have demonstrated strong performance, showcasing the benefits of ORAN technology. Key performance indicators, including download and upload speeds, coverage, capacity, and power consumption, are comparable to traditional networks while significantly reducing infrastructure costs. Viettel’s distributed units use inline accelerators to offload compute-intensive baseband tasks like Massive MIMO processing from distributed unit servers.

This approach reduces capital expenditure by requiring fewer CPU cores and enhancing power efficiency. The radio units support ORAN-compliant 32TR Massive MIMO capabilities, enhancing network capacity, performance, and energy efficiency. Viettel utilises the Qualcomm X100 5G RAN Accelerator Card and the radio units utilise the Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN platform. Combining Qualcomm Technologies' advanced chipset platforms, together with Viettel's expertise in network optimisation and deployment, is a groundbreaking accomplishment and provides numerous benefits.

The commercial ORAN deployment stems from a successful collaboration announced in May 2022. Moving from concept to a large-scale commercial launch in this timeframe exemplifies the innovation and dedication of both companies and underscores the potential within the broader ORAN ecosystem.

The collaboration also includes the development of premium RAN automation, management, and orchestration solutions. Viettel combines its Element Management System with the Qualcomm Edgewise Suite to streamline management of heterogeneous networks spanning multiple vendors, cellular generations and architecture using a common platform. This helps simplify daily operations, reduces TCO, and facilitates a smooth path to network modernisation.

With this 5G ORAN commercialisation, Viettel completes its end-to-end 5G product suite, covering everything from core networks to RAN elements. This solution addresses both public and private network demands, offering operators a high-quality, ORAN-compliant 5G network and fostering a sustainable vendor ecosystem. The Massive MIMO distributed units and radio units of this commercial network are fully compliant with ORAN standards, as defined by the ORAN Alliance.

“Viettel’s 5G ORAN solutions have achieved commercial-grade maturity after an intensive development process and rigorous testing,” said Nguyen Vu Ha, CEO of Viettel High Tech. “Qualcomm Technologies has been a pivotal collaborator on our journey towards 5G commercialisation, making substantial contributions that accelerate our network deployment in Vietnam."

“I believe this collaboration will help both parties reduce the product development cycle by several years. This collaboration also aims to deliver high-quality, cost-effective 5G solutions for international markets and to build a sustainable ecosystem,” he added.

Julian Gorman, head of Asia-Pacific at Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) said, “With its fully disaggregated, software-based architecture, ORAN presents a transformative opportunity for the mobile industry to accelerate network innovation, enhance competition, and enable sustainable infrastructure deployment. As one of the first operators to deploy ORAN at scale, Viettel is setting a strong example for the industry, not just in Asia-Pacific but for the world as a whole."

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