ITRI and Pegatron's 5G O-RAN Energy-Saving System Wins SCF Small Cell Award 2022

HSINCHU, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The growing base station Open RAN architecture is sparking new business opportunities in the 5G industry. According to the Small Cell Forum's (SCF) Market Forecast 2021, enterprise small cells will remain the largest percentage of 5G radio unit deployments, accounting for 62% of roll-outs in 2026. To meet the demand for these private network services, ITRI and Pegatron Corp. jointly developed the 5G Energy-Saving O-RAN System. The technology won an SCF Small Cell Award 2022 in London for its outstanding software and services technology for small cells in commercial use.

The SCF Small Cell Awards honor those who have made breakthroughs in the development of small cell technology and made contributions to the industry. Other winners this year include global key 5G/telecom players such as Qualcomm, Rakuten, and Ericsson.

General Director Pang-An Ting of ITRI's Information and Communications Research Laboratories noted that the Energy-Saving O-RAN System developed by ITRI and Pegatron has three major features: (1) High deployment efficiency: simply one click can simulate a number of base stations to assist in the planning of a private network; (2) Energy-Saving: AI is used in flow monitoring and diversion for smart distribution and allows idle base stations to hibernate; (3) Smart Modularization: This enables highly flexible private network deployment in 5G vertical applications such as smart factories, hospitals, entertainment, drones, and logistics. The system also enables plug-and-play operation and can automatically perform optimization, monitoring, management, and repairs, reducing overall maintenance and operating costs.

CY Feng, General Manager of BU6 at Pegatron Corp., revealed that Pegatron has committed to 5G O-RAN products since 2020 for vertical applications with products that comply with the 3GPP and O-RAN specifications. With progress in NFVI, network slicing, AI edge computing, and network management system (O-RAN SMO and Near-Real Time RIC), Pegatron rolled out a portable solution aimed at 5G private network applications. Feng reiterated that with capabilities of gNobeB Energy Savings built with ITRI, Pegatron hopes to lower operating and administrative costs for smart manufacturing, transportation, and digital resilience. Pegatron will continue improving the performance of 5G O-RAN solutions and build vertical applications for various private networks.

Three main factors considered by companies developing 5G private networks are ease of deployment, cost-effectiveness, and integration with existing equipment. ITRI and Pegatron's 5G O-RAN Energy-Saving System can be scaled rapidly, helping to expand private network applications and drive digital transition for enterprises.

About ITRI

Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is one of the world's leading technology R&D institutions aiming to innovate a better future for society. Founded in 1973, ITRI has played a vital role in transforming Taiwan's industries from labor-intensive into innovation-driven. To address market needs and global trends, it has launched its 2030 Technology Strategy & Roadmap and focuses on innovation development in Smart Living, Quality Health, and Sustainable Environment. It also strives to strengthen Intelligentization Enabling Technology to support diversified applications.

Over the years, ITRI has been dedicated to incubating startups and spinoffs, including well-known names such as UMC and TSMC. In addition to its headquarters in Taiwan, ITRI has branch offices in the U.S., Europe, and Japan in an effort to extend its R&D scope and promote international cooperation across the globe. For more information, please visit https://www.itri.org/eng.

SOURCE Industrial Technology Research Institute