en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) of South Korea has officially launched a core technology R&D project for AI-RAN (Radio Access Network). The South Korean government has designated it as a "National Designated AI-RAN Global Leading Project Specialized Research Institute" and plans to provide support to secure AI-based wireless network original technologies and build a global cooperation system.
In addition to ETRI, South Korea's three major telecommunications operators, as well as communication equipment and software companies such as HFR, Ucast, and CleverLogic, are participating in the project. On the industry-academia-research side, Sungkyunkwan University, Yonsei University, Seoul National University, Ajou University, the Next-Generation Mobile Communications Research Association, and the Korea Information and Communication Technology Association (TTA) will also join to jointly build the AI-RAN research ecosystem. The total research period for the project is from April 2026 to December 2030, with R&D expenses amounting to 47 billion won.
AI-RAN is a next-generation network technology that integrates artificial intelligence technology into the Radio Access Network (RAN), aiming to achieve an AI-native architecture. It not only optimizes network resources and predicts faults but also embeds AI learning and inference functions within the network. The research team plans to build an AI-RAN virtual network platform based on actual base station software and create a comprehensive research environment for learning and verifying AI-based wireless network technologies.
In terms of specific R&D content, the team will develop AI-RAN software based on the international mobile communication standards 3GPP Release 19 and Release 21, and verify the performance of AI models and network optimization technologies in a digital twin virtual network covering massive MIMO environments. Subsequently, the plan is to deploy the AI control technologies verified in the virtual environment to an actual base station test environment to verify their operational stability and performance. Joint international research between South Korea and the United States will also be carried out simultaneously, with cooperation directions including AI-based base station energy-saving technologies, AI-RAN verification platforms, and digital twin-based wireless environment technologies. The research team also plans to expand international technical cooperation and promote global standardization through platforms such as the AI-RAN Alliance, 3GPP, and the O-RAN Alliance. Kim Il-gyu, Head of the Mobile Communications Research Division at ETRI, stated that the team will strive to secure original technologies and verification systems for AI-based next-generation wireless networks, enabling South Korea to take a leading position in the global AI-native network market.
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