Altiostar Networks is a company that provides 4G and 5G open vRAN software. Altiostar's software supports open interfaces and virtualizes baseband units to build a disaggregated web-scale and cloud-native mobile network. It was founded in 2011 by Ashraf Dahod, who is also the CEO. In August 2021, Altiostar Networks was acquired by Rakuten Symphony for $1 billion.
Altiostar's open vRAN software combines the aspects of open radio access network (RAN) and vRAN to create an entirely disaggregated mobile network. Open RAN is the horizontal disaggregation of network functions (RU, DU, CU) with open interfaces. vRAN is the vertical disaggregation of hardware and software with virtualization technologies. The combination of both creates a more scalable and flexible network that enables more product choices. Altiostar's Open vRAN and O-RAN compliant solution has been deployed globally.
Features of Altiostar's open vRAN software solution include the ability to integrate with LTE, 4G, and 5G technology, RAN architecture evolution aided by NFV technology, software programmability and network automation, automated software updates for new services without hardware changes, open interfaces that foster robust hardware and software ecosystem development, advanced algorithms for intersite coordination over packet transport, support for 3GPP higher layer split of the protocol stack with multiple options for the lower layer split, control of plane and data plane separation, and API that supports network automation and edge based applications.
Altiostar's Network Management System software is a standards-compliant system with applications that deliver network elements like management, configuration, monitoring, optimizing, and troubleshooting that have been deployed with Altiostar's open vRAN solution. It uses 3GPP IRP-compliant interfaces for OSS integration and scripting support. It has a tiered and modular architecture with interfaces that separate client and server data; the architecture can be used for networks with up to tens of thousands of sectors in a fully redundant configuration. The software allows for the implementation of many features, including log collection, rich data analytics, and generation of reports on such; service access automation API and communication frameworks; performance and KPI data for the mobile network; the monitoring and raising of alarms for mobile networks; backup, redundancy, and resiliency functions; web clients for easy graphical user interfaces; self organizing network optimization; and centralized site commissioning and management. The software can be deployed in a network functions virtualization (NFV) configuration through its implementation as a virtual function in a carrier-grade NFV platform and interfacing to an orchestrator.
Altiostar has partnered with major commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) server manufacturers to optimize data center type, fully virtualized baseband solutions with bleeding-edge Intel processors and FPGA technologies. This solution is built to be onboarded on carrier-grade NFV platforms, which helps enable the building of more innovative networks and disaggregates hardware and software. The company has developed patents that altogether tolerate a variety of transport configurations. The solution architecture enables system aggregation and the support for thousands of eNodeB’s sharing and pooling of baseband resources.
To meet the needs of extreme edge deployments, Altiostar has partnered with multiple server manufacturers to help support RAN applications that run on new Mobile Edge servers that leverage the latest cutting edge processors. The servers feature short depth, side-to-side cooling, all front access connections, optimized form factor, and robustness and redundancy that allow for a carrier-grade COTS option to be deployed in a cell site deployment. These servers enable vendor interoperability and hardware reuse. Altiostar’s cell site optimized solutions support a range of carrier configuration requirements, LTE bandwidths, and multiple input multiple output (MIMO) capabilities that can run on servers with single or multiple CPU. The cellsite baseband radio interface can use either open standard CPRI or eCPRI-based interfaces. These solutions allow for the choice of radio vendors versus baseband vendors.
Some of Altiostar's customer success stories include the companies Dish Network, which uses Altiostar's cloud-native O-RAN compliant solution to support Dish’s nationwide 5G network; Bharti Airtel, which deployed India's first vRAN 4G network; Rakuten Mobile, which launched a 5G network in Japan using Altiostar's open vRAN software; and Telefónica, which has become a close partner of Altiostar and collaborates with the company to improve open RAN technologies.
Altiostar is a member of the organizations TM Forum, 5G for 12 GHZ, Competitive Carriers Association, Telecom Infra Project (TIP), Rural Cloud Initiative, 3GPP, O-RAN Alliance, OnGo Alliance, GSMA, Open RAN Policy Coalition, and ETSI.
Altiostar has received multiple awards and honors, including two awards from the 2021 Global Telecoms Awards, Red Hat Innovation Partner of the Year, two awards from Light Reading Leading Lights 2020, and one from Light Reading Leading Lights 2021.
