This post was originally published on Light Reading
Dell Technologies is preparing to enter the virtual RAN (vRAN) market this year, according to several sources familiar with the company’s plans.
The move would put Dell into direct competition with the likes of Samsung, Ericsson and Mavenir. It would also signal an effort by Dell to couple sales of its existing servers with new virtualized radio access network (RAN) management software.
However, the scope of Dell’s plans are unclear. For example, Dell will presumably develop vRAN software to run inside its servers to control 5G radios – giving the company the opportunity to play a network-integration role for mobile network operators – but it’s unlikely that Dell will actually manufacture its own physical 5G radios. Instead, companies like Ericsson, Samsung and Nokia will continue to supply that hardware. But those radios could be managed by Dell’s new vRAN software.
Further, it’s unclear exactly where Dell might target its vRAN offerings. It’s possible the company may sell vRAN management software to enterprise customers looking to build their own private wireless networks. But the company may also sell its vRAN software to big mobile network operators like Dish Network or Verizon.
— Read the rest of this post, which was originally published on Light Reading.
