Japanese telecom infrastructure company, JTOWER, has announced a major milestone in the nation’s wireless network evolution, unveiling what it claims is Japan’s first Open RAN-compatible shared 5G radio equipment for the Sub6 frequency band.
The innovation represents a significant leap forward for network sharing in Japan, enabling mobile carriers to not only share physical infrastructure like antennas and repeaters but also the 5G radio equipment itself. The shared radio units, built using Open RAN standards, promote a flexible, multi-vendor ecosystem and promise to reduce the installation footprint, construction and equipment costs, and power consumption.
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“This marks a major step forward for 5G infrastructure in Japan,” the company said in a statement, emphasizing that the new radios are compliant with Sub6 spectrum bands used by all four of Japan’s national mobile operators.
JTOWER plans to begin interoperability testing with all four carriers during fiscal 2025, with commercial deployment dependent on each carrier’s readiness.
The announcement comes at a time when Japan’s telecom sector is under pressure to expand network coverage, while also dealing with workforce shortages and demographic challenges. Mobile traffic is continuing to surge, fueled by increasing demand for video, social media, web conferencing, and emerging technologies like generative AI (GenAI).
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JTOWER highlighted that it designs and develops shared infrastructure in-house, ensuring its systems meet the strict quality and operational standards of Japanese carriers. The development process includes joint testing and certification to guarantee seamless integration across networks.
Looking ahead, the company said it plans further investment in shared infrastructure innovations, including potential fronthaul sharing, to support Japan’s growing digital ecosystem and facilitate the nationwide rollout of advanced 5G services.
AloJapan.com