NTT DOCOMO, one of Japan’s leading telecommunications providers, has announced its groundbreaking deployment of a GPU-accelerated wireless solution in its network. This move has made DOCOMO the world’s first telco to implement a GPU-accelerated commercial 5G network. By incorporating GPU technology, DOCOMO aims to tackle significant industry challenges, including performance improvements, reduction of total cost of ownership, and enhanced energy efficiency. Furthermore, this innovative deployment will unlock the potential of Open RAN, providing previously unattainable flexibility, scalability, and supply chain diversity.
Addressing the Challenges
DOCOMO’s motive behind deploying a GPU-accelerated wireless solution is twofold. Firstly, it seeks to address the multibillion-dollar problem of improving performance, reducing the total cost of ownership, and enhancing energy efficiency in telecommunications networks. Secondly, the deployment aims to unleash the promised potential of Open RAN by enabling the desired flexibility, scalability, and supply chain diversity.
Components of the 5G Open RAN Solution
The 5G Open RAN solution deployed by DOCOMO utilizes a high-performance 5G virtual radio access network (vRAN) developed by Fujitsu. This advanced solution is built on the robust NVIDIA Aerial vRAN stack and NVIDIA Converged Accelerators. With the integration of NVIDIA technology, the platform seamlessly combines the power of the NVIDIA Aerial vRAN stack for 5G, AI frameworks, accelerated compute infrastructure, and long-term software support and maintenance.
Key Features of the Platform
The deployed platform boasts several noteworthy features. Firstly, it incorporates the NVIDIA Aerial vRAN stack, providing a robust foundation for 5G. Additionally, AI frameworks enable intelligent network management and optimization. Moreover, the accelerated compute infrastructure ensures enhanced performance and efficiency. Lastly, the platform offers long-term software support and maintenance, keeping networks up to date with emerging technologies.
Benefits of the Solution
Compared to existing 5G network deployments, DOCOMO’s solution delivers a myriad of benefits. First and foremost, it reduces total costs by up to 30%, making network infrastructure more economical for operators. Additionally, network design utilization improves by up to 50%, enabling more efficient resource allocation. Base station power consumption is also considerably reduced, with potential savings of up to 50%. These benefits align with the global push for sustainable and cost-effective network solutions.
NVIDIA’s Contribution and Industry Transformations
NVIDIA’s role in deploying the GPU-accelerated network marks a significant milestone in their growing portfolio of 5G solutions within the telecommunications industry. By collaborating with DOCOMO and other industry partners, NVIDIA is driving transformative changes in the telecommunications sector, leveraging its cutting-edge technologies to spur innovation and progress.
Collaboration Among Fujitsu, NVIDIA, and Wind River
The successful deployment of the Open RAN 5G vRAN solution is the result of collaborative efforts between Fujitsu, NVIDIA, and Wind River. These companies have worked under the brand OREX (5G Open RAN service brand) to develop the virtualized DU (vDU) and CU (vCU) solutions by Fujitsu, leveraged commercial off-the-shelf servers, employed the Wind River cloud platform, and incorporated the NVIDIA Aerial vRAN stack and Converged Accelerators.
Promoting Open RAN-Compliant 5G vRAN
DOCOMO, alongside its partners in OREX, is actively advocating for a multi-vendor, Open RAN-compliant 5G vRAN solution within the global operator community. By encouraging collaboration and interoperability between multiple vendors, this initiative aims to drive innovation and diversity in the 5G ecosystem.
NVIDIA’s Global Support for Operators: NVIDIA, in collaboration with DOCOMO and other partners, is committed to supporting operators worldwide in their deployment of high-performance, energy-efficient, software-defined commercial 5G vRAN. As 5G networks continue to expand globally, NVIDIA’s expertise and cutting-edge technology will aid operators in creating robust and future-proof network infrastructures.
NTT DOCOMO’s deployment of a GPU-accelerated wireless solution as the world’s first telco to implement a commercial 5G network demonstrates their commitment to driving innovation in the telecommunications industry. By addressing challenges such as performance, total cost of ownership, and energy efficiency, while unlocking the potential of Open RAN, DOCOMO is shaping the future of 5G technology. With partners like Fujitsu, NVIDIA, and Wind River, the promotion of an Open RAN-compliant 5G vRAN and NVIDIA’s global support for operators, the industry is progressing towards a more connected, efficient, and sustainable telecommunications ecosystem.