Tokyo, Japan and Hong Kong – July 1, 2021 – NEC Corporation announced today the launch of carrier-grade, cloud-native Open RAN software supporting its industry-leading digital beamforming of Massive MIMO (mMIMO, Note 1). The solution will be available globally from the beginning of 2022.

5G Networks are increasingly adopting the cloud. The introduction of virtualization technologies in various layers of the network, from core to RAN, enables faster service provisioning and equipment cost reduction while shortening procurement lead times. Cloud-native architecture and operation allows network orchestration and automation at scale, thereby achieving improved service quality and reliability.

NEC's cloud-native software delivers carrier-grade performance, cloud-grade scalability and cost effectiveness. To meet 5G's high-speed, high-capacity requirements, it provides advanced control of full digital beamforming over 16 layers in downlink communications in systems where mMIMO is utilized. This implementation delivers large-capacity transmission as well as efficient and autonomous control depending on the service requirements and traffic conditions.

The solution fully supports O-RAN specifications and leverages the wide ecosystem of a variety of partners. This open RAN, cloud-native software is fully containerized and provides flexibility for deployment scenarios (on premises, private cloud, public cloud), geographies (urban, peri-urban, rural) and use cases (consumer, enterprise, government).

In addition to these products, NEC also offers a RAN Domain Orchestration solution from its subsidiary Netcracker. The solution combines Netcracker's industry-leading orchestration, OSS and analytics functions with NEC's expertise in integrated network operation and management to fully automate all aspects of the RAN domain. The solution is based on Netcracker's cloud-native Digital OSS (operation support system). It runs on any Kubernetes (Note 2) cloud platform and is compliant with open APIs and standardization, enabling collaboration with a variety of products from different Open RAN vendors.

Patrick Lopez, Global VP Product management, 5G products at NEC commented: “We are continuing with our tradition of market-leading innovation. NEC was the first vendor to develop virtualization technologies for communications networks. We were the first company to commercialize Open Flow (Note 3), SDN controllers (Note 4) and NFV (Note 5) as well as the pioneer vendor to provide virtualized core networks.

“Today, by introducing cloud-native virtualization to the RAN as well, NEC accelerates the migration toward next-generation networks and contributes to unlocking the full potential of 5G."

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About NEC Hong Kong Limited
Established in 1984, NEC Hong Kong Limited (NEC HK) has been rapidly expanding its activities to meet growing customer demands in Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China.

As a leading information and communications technology provider, NEC HK provides innovative solutions and infrastructure to promote safety, security and enhance the quality of life for individuals and the community. NEC HK’s expertise includes solutions for carrier networks, biometric identification, smart city, artificial intelligence, public safety, cloud computing, enterprise applications and infrastructure, unified communications, transportation solutions, multimedia displays and smart energy, as well as the provision of managed services and contact centre services.

In addition, NEC HK provides advanced display & visual products, server & storage, telecommunication and networking solutions. With a comprehensive range of technical experts and resources, NEC HK offers professional tailored solutions to meet the dynamic needs of customers in various industries. With our extensive products and services, we continuously deliver business value to customers globally. NEC HK is the one-stop answer for innovative technological excellence. For enquiry, please call (+852) 2733 5533 or visit http://hk.nec.com/.