By Ron Chen, Correspondent ASEAN Region

Hytera has introduced its new 4G/5G portfolio including its industry-leading HyXG O-RAN solution. HyXG forms a key part of Hytera’s total solution aimed at serving the MNO and vertical industry markets. It comprises DU board, O-BBU and a high-end Edge-Node. The online launch event was held on June 29, 2021 to coincide with MWC Barcelona 2021.

Hytera believes more than ever that openness and innovation are important to society. Enterprises need a holistic approach to help them tackle the challenges they face and to instigate progress and change. The communications ecosystem needs to collaborate to explore innovative digital network solutions, which will transform enterprises across the globe.

Hytera HyXG O-RAN solution

5G technology will empower enterprises by underpinning the Industry 4.0 revolution. 5G, combined with the innovative, open standards approach promoted by the O-RAN Alliance, will enable a more competitive and vibrant RAN supplier ecosystem leading to faster innovation, greater collaboration and reduced risk of vendor lock-in.

O-RAN will deliver a more open, intelligent, virtualized and fully interoperable RAN architecture based on open hardware and cloud with intelligent management of radio and platform resources and service quality. By delivering a more efficient RAN, O-RAN will reduce operator CAPEX and OPEX.

O-RAN architecture is largely defined for 5G, but Hytera has developed a dual-mode 4G and 5G architecture for its HyXG O-RAN solution. This allows customers to implement 4G or dual-mode 4G/5G networks now, and then easily upgrade to 5G networks in the future.

Following O-RAN specifications, HyXG splits the RAN into three independent parts: the CU (centralized unit), DU (distributed unit), and the RU (radio unit). Hytera has separated the 4G and 5G DU cards, which interconnect with the CU to enable simple “plug and play” connectivity. The boards are based on SoC chipsets, which support higher throughput, lower latency and reduced energy consumption. They feature an open front-haul interface enabling easy connection to third-party RUs.

Hytera is releasing basic and enhanced O-BBU (baseband unit) models, both of which provide converged 4G/5G capabilities. The enhanced model can also be configured as a standalone MEC (mobile edge computing) node. The BBU can be deployed as a combined CU/DU unit to provide legacy BBU functions or separate standalone CU or DU mode.

The versatile ‘all-in-one” Edge-Node provides a mobile edge computing (MEC) platform, which can be configured to deliver both base station and edge computing functions simultaneously. It can also be configured as a 4G/5G dual-mode BBU, support centralized network management functions, and provide a multimedia broadband services platform.

Hytera’s unique value as a PMR provider in the 5G era

Hytera has supplied different vertical markets with PMR (Professional Mobile Radio) solutions for 28 years with a strong focus on growth and innovation. But customer demands are changing, they are looking for converged and intelligent ICT solutions supporting integrated voice, data and video multimedia services.

As a result, Hytera is adapting itself to meet its customers’ needs by developing innovative 4G and 5G solutions. But the vertical market is highly fragmented and each sector requires a lot of customization. This is a huge challenge for mobile operators and other new entrants to the vertical market.

Compared with these new entrants, Hytera is in a unique position to address the 5G vertical applications market, as it has accumulated a huge wealth of experience in providing different sectors with customized solutions.

Flexible business and collaboration models

Hytera offers customers a range of flexible business options when deploying its 4G/5G solutions, from just using an open protocol software stack or a module in their own products to deploying a full end-to-end solution. This flexible and open approach enables a high degree of collaboration and customization to meet customer needs.

JCEO of Hytera, Jiang Yelin said: “Hytera is willing to cooperate with a variety of ecosystem partners to empower the vertical industry evolution to digital, broadband and 5G.”