Bluewaves Mobility Innovation (BMI), a North York-based startup that specializes in ORAN (open radio access networks) solutions, this week announced a partnership with Intel at MWC 2024 in Barcelona.
ORAN is a nonproprietary version of the Radio Access Network (RAN) system that allows interoperation between various pieces of cellular network equipment provided by different vendors, including the radio unit (RU), the distributed unit (DU) and the centralized unit (CU).
BMI builds Open RAN RUs, where the radio frequency signals in a network are transmitted, received, amplified and digitized.
The company is embedding Intel’s Agilex FPGA (field-programmable gate array) products in its radio designs for accelerated performance and increased power efficiency. An FPGA is a reprogrammable chip that can be customized to accelerate key workloads.
“The telecom industry is at a tipping point. ORAN is creating a multitude of new opportunities as leading mobile operators seek to disaggregate their networks and reap the benefits of ORAN” said Darron Enright, director of business development at BMI. “With Intel’s Agilex silicon components embedded, BMI ORUs will assist operators to meet their ORAN objectives in reducing the overall TCO of their networks as well as those for environmental sustainability.”
Enright added that BMI has set up its radio manufacturing in the greater Toronto area, and is acquiring partners like Intel to create a robust, resilient and secure North American ORAN supply chain.