The OpenRAN track at the OCP Regional Summit is a must-attend for anyone interested in the future direction of mobile 5G and beyond networks.
The Open Compute Project (OCP) is set to host the OCP EMEA Regional Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, from April 24 to April 25. As I mentioned in the blog, “Innovations from OCP Community Meet European Leadership at OCP Regional Summit in Lisbon“, this year’s theme is "Scaling Innovation Through Collaboration," which will be showcased through a diverse and compelling lineup of keynote speakers from leading companies sharing information that is timely and important for the EMEA data center industry.
Within the range of updates on open innovation projects such as sustainability, subsystem improvements around compute and networking, AI platforms, photonics, quantum computing and more, there is the Special Focus OpenRAN track that will discuss the 1st OpenRAN-compliant Open Hardware Radio Unit Platform planned via the OCP Evenstar project. This track will feature an impressive lineup of speakers who will delve into the latest developments, challenges, and opportunities surrounding OpenRAN and the OCP Evenstar project.
Brief History of Evenstar
While the OCP’s Strategic Initiative project Evenstar is fairly new, there has been a preceding, years-long, collaborative effort between leading industry players, including Meta, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and others, to develop an open-source, disaggregated Radio Access Network (RAN) solution which culminated in the contribution of a 4G/5G 4T4R Radio Unit base specification to the OCP. The Evenstar project has the potential, through open collaboration, to significantly reduce the costs and complexity associated with traditional radio access networks through the definition of an Open Radio hardware platform, providing the ITC ecosystem an extensible platform allowing customization for specific market segments while maintaining base compatibility and commonality to maximize supply chain opportunity and efficiency. The OCP Foundation team felt strongly that the time was right to support the startup of the Evenstar project with a track at EMEA Regional Summit that will discuss the requirements and set the stage for the upcoming work.
The Track Details: OpenRAN at EMEA Regional Summit
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from leading experts in the field, including Stephane Teral from Teral Research, who will provide an in-depth overview of the OpenRAN market and strategies. Jim Durcan from Jabil will discuss the manufacturing of carrier-grade radios, while Luis Santo from NOS will share insights on the challenges and opportunities from the operator perspective, for the OpenRAN ecosystem.
One of the highlights of the summit will be the presentations on 5G OpenRAN and edge deployments in Europe. Alex Chou from MiTAC will share his expertise on this topic, and Thomas Gambier from Rapid Space will explore the potential of building the OpenRAN edge cloud with open hardware, including an open radio. These sessions will provide valuable insights into the practical applications of OpenRAN technology and its potential to revolutionize the telecommunications landscape.
This afternoon session will also feature presentations from leading organizations who will share their perspectives on the role of OpenRAN and the potential for an Open Radio Platform. Jonas Charaf from Capgemini will discuss the company's view on OpenRAN, while Ultan Mulligan from ETSI will delve into ETSI's activities supporting OpenRAN and the potential for an Open Radio Platform. Andreas Gladisch from i14Y will share his organization's perspective on OpenRAN test and validation and the potential for including the Open Radio Platform.
Following the presentations is the open discussion session, titled "Breaking Down Barriers to OpenRAN." This Q&A session will be moderated by Stephane Teral from Teral Research and will feature a panel of experts, including Alex Chou from MiTAC, Andreas Gladisch from i14Y Lab, Jonas Charaf from Capgemini, and Luis Santo from NOS. Given the panelists, fully expect this to be a lively panel with some interesting hot takes. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with these industry leaders and gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding OpenRAN adoption.
In concluding the track, Bijan Nowroozi, OCP Chief Technology Officer will review the status of the Evenstar project and its trajectory on the path to develop truly open 3GPP/OpenRAN-compliant Open Radio Unit Platform specifications.
Still time to Meet in Lisbon
It’s not too late to participate in this event. In addition to being a very good venue with interesting surroundings (understood to be outstanding coffee in town), organized around the open session rooms, there is an exhibit floor so you can take in the latest products, an Innovation Village that is a non-commercial space for projects and organizations to demonstrate new and emerging technologies, food/snacks/coffee to keep you going, spaces to meet in plus social events that can lead to opportunities to build your network.
To register for this event, you may do so here:
https://www.opencompute.org/summit/regional-summit
The full schedule is available here: https://2024ocpregional.fnvirtual.app/a/schedule/
Can’t wait to meet and discuss the Evenstar Open Radio Platform
The OCP Regional Summit in Lisbon is an event not to be missed for anyone interested in the future of mobile networks and the potential of OpenRAN technology. With an impressive lineup of speakers, engaging discussions, and the showcase of the groundbreaking Evenstar project, this summit is shaping up to be a potentially significant conversation in the evolution of the ITC ecosystem. We feel like this is a well-rounded, honest and open look at OpenRAN and can’t wait to meet you.
Don't miss your chance to be a part of this exciting track and learn from the best in the business.
Following Up / Additional Information
In the meantime, please connect with the project and hop on the Evenstar Community Calls. They are open to all. Start with https://www.opencompute.org/projects/evenstar, see the calendar and sign up for the mailing list.
The Evenstar Project will also be presenting at Linux Foundation One Summit 2024 which runs Apr 29, 2024 through May 1, 2024 in San Jose, California.
The session will be at 2:40PM, Tuesday Apr 30, 2024, and is titled “Completing OpenRAN: OCP Community works to Deliver 1st truly open 46/5G Radio Platform, fulfilling OpenRAN’s promise.” The schedule is linked here: https://sched.co/1YUrZ
The full schedule is linked here: https://events.linuxfoundation.org/one-summit-north-america/program/schedule/.