Ericsson Inks Open RAN ‘Ready’ Integration Deal With MasOrange

Communications network technologies provider Ericsson has signed a five-year agreement with Spanish wireless, broadband, and video service provider MasOrange to integrate the recently launched provider’s networks with the goal of achieving an “Open RAN-ready” network architecture over the five-year life of the deal.

MasOrange officially debuted in April of this year as the result of the merger of Masmovil and Orange Spain completed in March. The newly minted carrier began its new chapter with 37 million wireless and broadband lines – and a lot of technology integration on the drawing board following the combination of the two carriers.

Enter Ericsson, which announced its agreement with MasOrange on Oct. 29, calling it a “major five-year Open RAN-ready future-network partnership that will put the Spanish operator at the forefront of Europe’s open and programmable networks.”

The network integration project, Ericsson said, will “include supporting the consolidated MasOrange network through high-performing and sustainable network solutions designed for an increasingly open architecture,”

“This approach enables greater flexibility, scalability, and innovation in network operations and service delivery,” the company said.

The network integration project will run in parallel with deployment of Ericsson-powered 5G standalone service in rural areas of Spain, and will bring to MasOrange “one of the most extensive, high-capacity, and modern 5G Standalone mobile networks in Europe” that will allow the carrier to offer enhanced 5G services throughout the country, Ericsson said.

“Through this partnership, MasOrange will enhance its network capabilities and competitiveness using capacity-boosting, cost-effective and energy-efficient Ericsson Radio System products as well as Core solutions,” the equipment provider said. “The latest Massive MIMO antenna-integrated radios and RAN Compute solutions, compatible with Open RAN, will significantly increase performance and lower costs,” it added.

“This collaboration with Ericsson represents a decisive moment not only for MasOrange, but also for European telecommunications industry as a whole and for the Spanish market, as we lead the development of Open RAN and we lay the foundation for an open and programmable mobile infrastructure that will drive technological advances and sustainable growth,” commented Meinrad Spenger, CEO at MasOrange.

“With this agreement we look at the future where high-performance and differentiated networks will be key to digitalizing enterprises and society,” emphasized Jenny Lindqvist, Ericsson’s Senior Vice President and Head of Market Area Europe and Latin America.

“With this agreement we look at the future where high-performance and differentiated networks will be key to digitalizing enterprises and society,” Lindqvist said. “Our vision for the industry is based on open and programmable networks with capabilities that are exposed through network APIs and leveraged by an ecosystem of developers – driving rapid innovation and growth.”