Nokia Networks, Ooredoo highlight Centralised RAN

Nokia’s Centralised RAN links multiple LTE base stations to work directly with one another and doubles the average uplink capacity across a cell. During large events in stadiums, there can be more uplink than downlink traffic as people upload pictures and videos.

Multiple base stations provide coverage over a small area. This creates considerable interference from mobile devices, reducing network capacity and impairing service quality.

Centralised RAN reduces interference between neighbouring cells and allows up to 10 times faster uploads at the cell edge. Battery life of smart devices is longer as they don’t need to transmit at high power to cut through the interference.

At the Ooredoo imaginarium during the event, Nokia Networks and Ooredoo showcased a solution in the “Smart Stadium” pod, combining Centralised RAN with Liquid Applications, TDD-FDD LTE carrier aggregation and LTE Broadcast (eMBMS).

Liquid Applications such as video orchestration demonstration bring live action closer to spectators - users can zoom to different perspectives of the action by selecting any preferred camera angle - and provide faster browsing with improved network efficiency for faster content delivery.

Also, Nokia’s stand inside the imaginarium has featured a variety of new demos, like VoWiFi, Predictive Operations, CEM, Telco Cloud and Security, among others.

Nokia Networks executive vice-president and CTO Hossein Moiin said, “In a world where everyone and everything will be connected, Nokia Networks is committed to investing in next-generation technologies, including 5G, to further enable what we call the Programmable World. We have collaborated with our longtime partner Ooredoo to demonstrate our innovations in this regard, sharing our vision and leadership with the global industry ecosystem at ITU.”

Ooredoo Qatar chief operating officer Waleed Mohamed al-Sayed said, “We have been at the forefront of introducing new mobile broadband technologies, including LTE advanced, for the best possible customer experience with improved network capacity, speed, and coverage.

“Qatar is building incredible infrastructure to host some of the world’s most important sports events and Ooredoo will work with our partners to ensure that visiting teams, fans and spectators across the globe enjoy the best possible experience.”