Parallel Wireless – shortlisted for two prestigious accolades – was awarded top honours at the 2019 Leading Light Awards, for its Unified 2G/3G/4G/5G (All G) software. Walking away with the Most Innovative Mobile/Wireless Product or Service Award, continues a strong streak of international recognition for the US-Based company that is busy helping telecommunication providers across the globe, deliver better services and achieve economic sustainability.
This particular award is presented to the company that has developed a potentially market-leading product, application or strategy that has enabled the launch, deployment or creation of innovative, profitable mobile/wireless services. Parallel Wireless certainly fits the bill in this case.
The biggest expense for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) has always been the Radio Access Network (RAN), accounting for around 60% of CAPEX and 65% of OPEX. With successive upgrades from 2G to 3G, 4G and now 5G, there was a correlating replacement of the RAN. Not anymore.
With the open compute model, Parallel Wireless has been able to develop and deploy their end-to-end software-based approach for legacy networks and new communication models alike. Using a virtualised network architecture, Parallel Wireless virtualises, automates and optimises ALL G cellular networks, delivering quality end user experiences for all use cases: low density/high density, IBS or public safety LTE.
Parallel Wireless’s solution enables OpenRAN through complete decoupling of hardware and software functionality. This functional separation enables the Unified Software Platform to support all the different protocol splits between DUs and CUs based on available backhaul/fronthaul options. The solution provides agility across COTS-based physical/virtual networks by unifying ALL Gs, integrating abstraction, and real time orchestration with network automation, to empower global SPs profitability, despite margin pressure. With the Parallel Wireless software-based 5G native architecture, the migration to 5G can now be done with a simple software upgrade.
On receiving the award, Christoph Fitih, director, Africa Sales for Parallel Wireless in Africa remarked: “We are delighted to have been acknowledged by the industry as a Leading Light.
“The possibilities of OpenRAN are endless and we are excited about what the future holds for all of us. Open access provides the opportunity for greater collaboration and therefore greater innovation of products and services, which we can in turn, advance to more people on the planet.”
Lux Maharaj, director: Africa Sales for Parallel Wireless concurs: “Providing the means with which, the old and the new, can be integrated with one another to provide a seamless output, is only just the beginning and Parallel Wireless is proud to be a pioneer in this space. We are excited about what the future can hold and thank the Leading Lights for their acknowledgment of the hard yards we have put in thus far.”
In October 2018, the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) called for the disaggregation of software and hardware. Parallel Wireless’s 2G/3G/4G/5G unified software platform was selected as one of only three vendors to offer interoperable RAN solutions. Since then, the company has continued to with Telefonica and Vodafone on a number of deployments, along with a host of other communication providers who have seen the unquestionable benefits of having a software-based system that will remove the current layered approach of stacking newer technologies on top of old – not only is this cost prohibitive in the long run, it could be only a matter of time before it comes crashing down as building blocks are removed or not maintained.
From its offices in Johannesburg, South Africa, the organisation is rolling out large-scale projects with a number of telcos across Africa and the Middle East. Notably, Telesol in Ghana to provide 4G LTE services, modernising Zain’s existing 2G and 3G networks across Africa and the Middle East as well as Kalimat Telecom who selected Parallel Wireless’s to build out their mobile broadband network in Iraq.