PIN - SONIC Lab Products for Open RAN Outdoor Network (Site 4)

The SmartRAN Open Network Interoperability Centre Laboratories (SONIC Labs) is a joint programme between Digital Catapult (DC) and Ofcom. The programme creates a range of platforms for existing and emerging vendors to test the interoperability and integration of open and software-centric networking solutions, starting with 5G Open RAN technology. Launched in February 2022, the DSIT-funded SONIC Labs will be deployed across indoor and outdoor locations, providing a unique opportunity for UK-based operators and Open RAN vendors to get involved and showcase their capabilities. Additionally, SONIC Labs will provide a testing ground for longer-term advanced technologies, expanding to other use cases and open networking technologies. This opportunity specifically relates to the low level design, supply, implementation and support of an OpenRAN outdoor mobile network. Digital Catapult is seeking to engage with outdoor OpenRAN vendor(s) who have the capability to design, supply, Install, configure and Integrate different Open RAN components - hardware (Radio Units) and software Centralised Unit (CU), Distributed Units (DU) and RAN Intelligent Controllers (RIC). The vendor(s) shall provide services to build, implement and integrate an outdoor 5G Open RAN system. In addition, we require services for ongoing support and maintenance for a two year period following go-live. This network will need to be a representative of an outdoor 5G SA deployment in the ‘real’ live environment, which means a combination of micros at street level and macros on rooftops/towers which would be the optimum requirement to represent the Open RAN solutions in outdoor field trial conditions. Attached to this notice you can find more detailed document containing: Figure 1 (An example of an outdoor private mobile network); Figure 2 (High level architecture for outdoor SONIC Open RAN network); Appendix A (High Level Outdoor Reference Network architecture);