Vodafone has started to install Open Radio Access Networks (OpenRAN) across Wales and the South West of England as part of its plan to improve the UK network.

OpenRAN technology allows multiple suppliers to connect with a single mobile site and can remove the barriers to entry that smaller suppliers face.

The telecoms company said it has committed to set up OpenRAN technology across at least 2,500 sites by the end of 2027.

The rollout of OpenRAN follows multiple rounds of testing and live trials in both rural and urban areas. Vodafone claims the tests outperformed traditional masts in calls and download speeds across multiple frequencies.

Vodafone will start the OpenRAN installation in Devon, close to the latest test site in Exeter and Torquay.

Vodafone said OpenRAN is “critically important” because it provides the company with flexibility when building its network and enables it to work with new suppliers who can offer “innovative ideas” to the market.

Commenting on the news Andrea Dona, chief network officer at Vodafone UK, said that the installation of OpenRAN will benefit local business and communities in the area.

“Vodafone has been at the forefront of the OpenRAN ecosystem since Day One,” she added. “OpenRAN is a central pillar to our network strategy for numerous reasons.

“Most importantly, we see this as a vehicle for transformation, opening doors that would otherwise have been closed.”

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