Category: Research

Energy consumption is a critical aspect of any service in these modern times. In telecommunications, a flexible approach to network planning, control, and management is extremely beneficial in this aspect. The concept of O-RAN enables the creation of algorithms that allow energy saving in a manner independent of the equipment or RAN software solution used. In this blog post, we present an innovative approach to energy saving using the RIC, which is based on the direct cooperation of Traffic Steering xApp and Energy Saving rApp.

This year, the most crucial topics for further development in O-RAN are security and energy efficiency. In this blog post, we investigate how different players of the O-RAN ecosystem look at the security topic. Those include O-RAN ALLIANCE, the telecommunication business (including operators and providers), governmental bodies, IEEE, and academic researchers.

In this blog post, we provide the description of an algorithm that can be realized as an rApp in the O-RAN architecture aimed at improving the network’s EE through intelligent RF channels on/off switching. First, we provide a general framework for long-timescale EE optimization which can be done in Non-RT RIC. We then propose the implementation of the RF Channel Switching algorithm within the O-RAN framework. Finally, we discuss some opportunities and challenges.

One of the key aspects of the Open RAN is embedding native intelligence within the O-RAN framework. To this end, AI/ML plays a crucial role. Some of the goals for AI/ML within RAN are: decreasing the manual effort of going through large data amounts to diagnose issues and make decisions, or predicting the future to take proactive actions. This is being addressed from the beginning within O-RAN ALLIANCE. In this post, we discuss the overall framework for machine learning within O-RAN, including architectural aspects and use cases.

When talking about future RAN security, one has to consider threats related to the radio segment of a network, and the expanded attack surface, due to the open architecture and interfaces in O-RAN. Those should be expanded by a discussion on AI algorithms security, as AI is to be embedded in multiple network tiers starting from UE, gNB at the edge of the network in the MEC module and in a cloud. In this post, present considerations on threats and opportunities that O-RAN specifications create for network security to deliberations on how AI at the network edge can, on one hand, be a target of attacks, and on the other, increase the network security.

5G standard is still evolving with new 3GPP releases issued periodically, leading to 5G-Advanced and possibly 5G-Advanced Pro in coming years. However, all major players (researchers, vendors, mobile network operators, regulators) have already started their 6G activities in line with the tradition of having G+ every 10 years. This blog post provides an overview of the current state of 5G and outlines requirements and potential technologies for 6G.