Project AURA (Agile Universal Radio Architecture) brings together a consortium to design a tightly integrated O-RU solution. There is an emphasis on flexibility to target different frequency bands and form factors, greater power efficiency, and with the goal to manufacture the product in the UK at competitive cost.
Radio units, which are deployed at every mobile network site, are highly custom engineered and complex to manufacture equipment which limits options for production in a high-cost location such as the UK and represent a significant proportion of the total power consumption in the RAN.
Key to the ability to achieve a solution at competitive cost is the use of innovative new silicon chips and components. These, and the associated software that will be developed, are at the core of the reduction in manufacturing complexity and power consumption. It will translate to lower installation and running costs for mobile network operators, improving their sustainability credentials.
The innovation in the AURA project will help support mobile network operators adopt the Open RAN strategy, a movement being backed by the UK government and other governments across the globe.
