en.Wedoany.com Reported - The OpenRAN@Brasil project has completed its second phase, delivering a fully functional prototype of an Open Radio Unit (O-RU). This device is a key component of the Open RAN architecture for mobile networks, developed by Brazilian research institutions, and will be used for technical validation in test environments during the next phase of the project.

The project is funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), coordinated by the Brazilian National Education and Research Network (RNP), and executed in partnership with the Telecommunications Research and Development Center (CPQD), the Eldorado Research Institute (Instituto de Pesquisas Eldorado), and the National Institute of Telecommunications (Inatel). The results of the second phase were presented at a meeting attended by researchers, representatives of participating institutions, and federal government officials. The development of the O-RU is one of the core outcomes of the project, aimed at enhancing Brazil's research and development capabilities in the field of open mobile networks. In the Open RAN architecture, the radio unit is responsible for transmitting and receiving signals between the mobile network and user devices.

Open RAN proposes an architecture based on open, interoperable interfaces, allowing equipment and software from different vendors to operate together. This model differs from traditional mobile networks, which typically rely on equipment from a single manufacturer, aiming to enhance interoperability among solutions and foster the development of new suppliers. OpenRAN@Brasil aims to cultivate Brazil's capabilities in both hardware and software within this ecosystem, bringing together universities, research centers, and science and technology institutions. According to Michelle Wangham, Deputy Director of Research, Development, and Innovation at RNP, the completion of the second phase demonstrates the ability of Brazilian institutions to develop open network technologies.

The open radio unit prototype has passed preliminary laboratory evaluations, achieving transmission rates exceeding 1.5 Gbit/s, a result that qualifies it for use in the project's test environments. The third phase plans to integrate this device into the OpenRAN@Brasil test platform and expand these environments to other regions of Brazil, validating technical performance in scenarios closer to actual mobile network operations. In addition to the radio unit development, the second phase of the project also involved multiple initiatives, including the application of artificial intelligence in Open RAN networks, the creation of simulation environments, and research on cybersecurity for open mobile networks.

Rubens Caetano Barbosa de Souza, General Coordinator of Digital Innovation at MCTI, stated that the focus of the next phase will be on expanding the validation of the developed solutions. The open radio unit will also be demonstrated at the RNP 2026 Forum in Brasília in August. With the completion of the second phase, the project will concentrate on integrating the developed components into test environments and advancing research on open mobile networks, serving as a preliminary step toward evaluations under conditions closer to commercial network operations.