By Juan Pedro Tomás

The O-RAN Alliance released its second wave of specifications for open radio access network (RAN) architecture.

In a release, the O-RAN Alliance noted that the new O-RAN Release 002 focuses on enabling Open Intelligence.

Features in the new release include specifications for traffic steering, quality of service and quality of experience optimization, RAN slicing, and service management and orchestration.

The entity also said it has updated 36 technical documents with extensions and new features since November 2021.

In 2021, O-RAN Alliance had introduced a new initiative describing how its specifications combine to form the first Release of O-RAN Minimum Viable Plan. This plan delivers the specifications needed by the open RAN ecosystem to create products that meet the highest priority needs of operators.

O-RAN Release 001 focused on creating open interfaces that include open fronthaul, transport, hardware and cloud.

O-RAN ALLIANCE has released another set of technical specifications for open and intelligent RAN, including:

– O-RAN R1 interface: General Aspects and Principles v1.0

– O-RAN A1 interface: Test Specification v1.0

– O-RAN Acceleration Abstraction Layer High-PHY Profiles v1.0

– O-RAN Security Tests Specifications v1.0

The O-RAN Alliance also said it plans to organize two global PlugFests in 2022 for its member companies and institutions. “Offering two PlugFests will better accommodate the expanding work on integration and commercialization of the O-RAN solutions,” the alliance said.

“Throughout 2021, the O-RAN Alliance extended its interactions with other industry bodies and standards development organizations. As one example, first O-RAN specification – the O-RAN Fronthaul Control, User and Synchronization Plane Specification – has been submitted for potential adoption by the ETSI Technical Committee Mobile Standards Group through the ETSI PAS process. Additional O-RAN specifications are being planned for future submissions to the ETSI PAS process.”

The O-RAN Alliance is a global community of more than 300 mobile operators, vendors, and research & academic institutions operating in the Radio Access Network (RAN) industry. The O-RAN Alliance’s mission is to re-shape the industry towards more intelligent, open, virtualized and fully interoperable mobile networks. O-RAN Alliance publishes new RAN specifications, releases open software for the RAN, and supports its members in integration and testing of their implementations. https://www.rcrwireless.com