At&t accelerates open ran rollout, aiming for network flexibility and speed

at&t is doubling down on its Open RAN strategy, reporting that over 50% of its network traffic now runs on open-capable hardware. This move signals a significant shift away from traditional, proprietary cellular network architectures, promising faster speeds and greater operational agility.

Open ran gains momentum with ericsson and cloud ran deployments

The company's VP of RAN Technology, Rob Soni, revealed in a recent blog post that the deployment of Open RAN is progressing rapidly. at&t has completed more than 50% of its radio replacement program, swapping out legacy cell site radios for newer equipment designed for open interfaces and cloud-native architectures. A successful Open RAN call has already been implemented on the commercial network, utilizing Ericsson basebands and 1Finity radios. Notably, at&t is the first global CSP to deploy a third-party rApp to optimize its live production network.

A key element of this transformation is the adoption of Cloud RAN, which moves network processing from hardware at cell towers to centralized data centers. This allows for greater flexibility, easier updates, and accelerated automation through AI. at&t is now live with Cloud RAN in two cities and anticipates completing system integrations and scaling by the end of the first quarter.

Beyond hardware, at&t is building out the software layer to manage this more programmable network. The rollout of Ericsson's Intelligent Automation Platform, including cloud orchestration tools and the RAN Intelligent Controller, is key. This system will allow for network optimization through software rather than fixed configurations.

The impact is already being felt. While many subscribers may not have noticed a dramatic change, AT&T is projecting improvements in speed, reliability, and overall network efficiency. This isn't simply an upgrade; it’s a fundamental rethinking of how cellular networks are built and operated. The race to a more open and adaptable network infrastructure is well underway, and AT&T is positioning itself as a leader in this evolution.