With Red Hat as a key partner for Samsung's platform, service providers can leverage this solution to achieve a faster return on investment (ROI) while minimizing production risks by developing more consistent and compliant deployments and operations across tens of thousands of potential sites. This will enable customers to use the platform to develop innovations based on private 5G, multi-access edge computing (MEC), 5G core networks, and more.

Open-source software is the driving force behind 5G RAN, as service providers strive to compete successfully, increase revenue, and meet growing customer demands in today's cloud-centric world. Disaggregated RAN components rely on robust computing functions that require a coherent cloud infrastructure. Service providers need to validate that each RAN component works together to support end users, whether an individual using a mobile phone or a large telecom organization supporting business operations.

Samsung and Red Hat are collaborating to help address the ongoing need for service providers to validate the network functionality, interoperability, and performance of an end-to-end vRAN solution. The companies' solution will be designed to offer customers:

● An end-to-end virtualized solution that helps reduce complexity and mitigate operational and deployment risks with enhanced automation and integration features;
● A flexible, future-proof network that can adapt to rapidly changing demands, as administrators will be able to apply updates remotely.

This solution will be based on a number of Red Hat open hybrid cloud technologies, including Red Hat OpenShift, the industry-leading enterprise Kubernetes platform, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes, and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform.

This vRAN solution from Red Hat and Samsung will be available as a proof of concept for customers in the second half of 2023.