Signals Research Group (SRG) conducted drive tests in the Dallas area on AT&T\u2019s open RAN network\u00a0Tests measured how 1Finity small cells interact with Ericsson small cells and macro gearAT&T identified locations where it had small cells and provided that to SRG but had no influence over where or how SRG tested\u00a0<\/p>\n
AT&T\u2019s open RAN strategy got a lot of flak when it awarded Ericsson a $14 billion contract to overhaul its network in 2023<\/a>. The pushback went something like this: Is it really open RAN if it\u2019s being provided by a single provider, the very construct the open RAN movement was trying to get away from?\u00a0<\/p>\n In part to answer that very question, Signals Research Group (SRG) CEO Mike Thelander recently conducted third-party tests on AT&T\u2019s open RAN network in AT&T\u2019s hometown of Dallas. The tests were conducted in March using an unlocked Galaxy S23 smartphone.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what he discovered: \u201cIf it looks like Open RAN, smells like Open RAN, and tastes like Open RAN, then it must be Open RAN,\u201d he wrote on LinkedIn<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n AT&T provided Thelander with the locations and physical cell identifiers (PCIs) of 1Finity and Ericsson small cells, as well as PCIs for Ericsson macro sites in the Dallas neighborhood of Deep Ellum.\u00a0<\/p>\n He used this information to map out the test areas where he wanted to drive and capture the performance data on AT&T\u2019s network. AT&T provided some logistical support when SRG collected the data, but otherwise wasn\u2019t involved with the tests, according to Thelander.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ericsson DU, 1Finity RUs\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Seeing as how Ericsson isn\u2019t known for loving open RAN (despite what Ericsson executives say<\/a>), demonstrating that Ericsson is actually supporting a third-party radio was first and foremost the purpose of the tests, Thelander told Fierce.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThat was kind of the gist of it. See if it\u2019s real and then see how it performs,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The upshot: Ericsson\u2019s distributed unit (DU) works with 1Finity\u2019s small cell radio units (RUs), demonstrating that Ericsson is, indeed, playing nice with a third-party radio vendor.\u00a0<\/p>\n Thelander said he can\u2019t say the equipment from Ericsson and 1Finity officially checked \u201cevery single box\u201d on the open RAN compliance checklist.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have no way of knowing that. I just know that it\u2019s a 1Finity RU and Ericsson DU. Is it going to work if you stick in another third party? I don\u2019t know. I imagine with any deployment, there\u2019s testing to make sure a different RU would work from a different vendor,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Geek out on small cells\u00a0<\/p>\n