Hailed as an industry first, the pilot launch follows announcements from Cellcom in January about plans to establish a cloud-based 5G SA network.
Cellcom and Parallel Wireless have partnered to conduct experiments that will test the Open RAN 5G technology, which if successful, will provide an open network architecture, giving the company more flexibility in mobile network deployments and seamless future upgrades.
“Parallel Wireless is proud to partner with Cellcom and showcase how our innovative 5G stand-alone agile Open RAN software can disrupt the wireless network landscape not only in Israel, but worldwide," said Baruch Navon, president and COO of Parallel Wireless.
"Our pioneering solution is expected to deliver improved agility, flexibility, resilience, and performance. The pilot, scheduled to conclude by the end of 2023, will incorporate advanced applications to improve network performance and efficiency, with the intention of bringing 5G SA to the benefit of the users.
The pilot will be based on the 5G SA technology, with an end-to-end Open RAN solution that will include RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) capabilities - a smart management layer used for control and advanced performance optimization.
The 5G SA solution can help in the integration and embedding of IoT solutions in transportation, medical, agriculture, and other industries, alongside creating communication solutions tailored to the needs of any organisation.
"Cellcom continues to invest significant resources and efforts to lead the 5th generation revolution, whether by establishing suitable infrastructure, widespread deployment of sites throughout the country, exploring advanced technologies in the communications field in general and cellular in particular, and adapting them to market needs," said Daniel Sapir, CEO of Cellcom.
"We will continue to work to bring innovative and leading solutions for the benefit of our customers."
