The O-RAN ALLIANCE (O-RAN) hosted its eighth PlugFest highlighting achievements in five themes:
O-RAN Energy Consumption, Efficiency and Savings Testing:
- Participating labs successfully tested O-RAN energy saving use cases in different network conditions, helping to optimize RAN Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and overall sustainability of mobile network operations.
Demonstrate consistent and repeatable open fronthaul testing in multiple labs:
- Several PlugFest hosts partnered to prove the ability to achieve consistent testing results in independent labs, ensuring testing reliability across labs and regions and supporting certification of O-RAN based products.
Open Fronthaul Transport Testing with multiple O-RUs:
- Building on previous O-RAN PlugFests, hosts and participants of the Spring 2024 PlugFest successfully extended the number of multi-vendor interoperable configurations in different setups and conditions, broadening the offer of O-RAN solutions for mobile operators.
O-RAN System Testing with Layer 1 Acceleration:
- The PlugFest verified readiness to automatically deploy and configure Layer 1 accelerators to allow their efficient testing in different network configurations.
O-RAN E2E Deployment Templates, DevOps, and Test Automation:
- Focusing on increasing efficiency of O-RAN network deployments, PlugFest participants demonstrated automation of testing in different areas including testbed setup, security testing, rApps/xApps and RIC testing, utilizing CI/CD processes, and application of the same automation in different labs.
O-RAN Global PlugFest Spring 2024, co-hosted by 20 operators, OTICs, and academic and research institutions, was conducted from February to May 2024 in 18 labs across Asia, Europe, and North America. The PlugFest had 86 participating companies or institutions, some of which participated in more than one venue.
