Vodafone germany to Deploy Samsung in open RAN Network, Reducing Reliance on Huawei
Vodafone Germany is shifting its mobile network infrastructure towards an open and diversified approach, including the integration of equipment from Samsung. This move is part of a broader strategy to build a more flexible network utilizing Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technology.
Open RAN allows mobile operators like Vodafone to source components – antennas, base stations, and control blocks - from multiple suppliers, rather than being reliant on a single vendor like Huawei, Ericsson, or Nokia. This increased flexibility is expected to foster greater competition within the telecommunications equipment market.
“In the coming years,we will create the most flexible mobile network in Germany – with thousands of Openran stations,open to the best technology from all potential partners,” stated Marcel de Groot,CEO of Vodafone Germany.
While Vodafone has not specified which existing suppliers will be replaced, the company previously utilized technology from both Huawei and Ericsson in its mobile tower infrastructure. Industry experts suggest this shift is driven, in part, by concerns regarding potential monitoring capabilities linked to Chinese technology, specifically Huawei.
Samsung’s involvement in European Open RAN development is seen as a catalyst for change in the global telecommunications equipment landscape. Other companies competing in this emerging market include Japanese firms NEC and Rakuten,and US-based companies Mavenir,Parallel Wireless,and Altiostar.
The move aligns with a broader trend across Europe, where governments are actively encouraging the diversification of suppliers and a reduction in dependence on Chinese technology operators.
