by Mike Dano, Editorial Director, 5G & Mobile Strategies
Cellcom is taking down its open RAN network in Wisconsin due to a pricing disagreement between the operator and its vendor Parallel Wireless.
Cellcom, which launched its first 5G services with vendors Ericsson and Cisco earlier this year, explained that its deal with Parallel involved exploring open RAN technology in a greenfield market.
“It was a tremendous learning experience, but it also provided solid evidence to support our concerns with the maturity of O-RAN,” the company wrote.
Specifically, the company said that it wanted to expand the trial but was “challenged to source the necessary equipment.”
Continued Cellcom: “Specific to Parallel Wireless, we have been unsuccessful in adding spectrum since the initial deployment of this equipment. Despite working with Parallel Wireless and a value-added reseller, we were unable to secure additional radios in the needed bands without a significant minimum purchase order. We were forced back to traditional RAN deployments to support spectrum additions in this market.”
The company concluded: “Without economies of scale, O-RAN is not a cost-effective approach for regional carriers. We firmly believe the open environment will be a viable option for us when O-RAN matures.”
Other small wireless network operators in the US have taken a similar position against open RAN. For example, open RAN has been loudly touted as a cheap option for the FCC’s ongoing “rip and replace” program, but most operators have stuck with traditional, classic RAN vendors.
