Samsung just completed what it claims is the industry’s first commercial call over a single-server virtualised RAN (vRAN), a pivotal step toward more efficient and adaptable mobile networks. This breakthrough, completed on a Tier 1 US operator’s live network, signals a shift in how carriers build and manage their infrastructure.
Streamlining Networks with Single-Server vRAN
The move promises lower costs, reduced energy consumption, and a faster path to 6G.
- Single-server vRAN consolidates network elements traditionally spread across multiple servers.
- The technology leverages new Intel Xeon 6 system on chip (SoC) processors with up to 72 cores.
- Samsung anticipates vRAN will accelerate the adoption of AI-RAN and AI services.
- Analysts predict this innovation will lead to more cloud-native, scalable, and efficient networks.
As mobile operators increasingly adopt software-driven, cloud-native architectures, single-server vRAN deployments are becoming essential. Samsung believes the ability to run RAN and AI workloads on fewer, more powerful servers is critical for sustainable infrastructure and network adaptability. This approach reduces the physical footprint of equipment and improves energy efficiency.
What exactly does this mean for your phone service? Single-server vRAN allows operators to consolidate network elements—like the mobile core, radio access, transport, and security—that historically required multiple servers, simplifying complex site configurations and potentially lowering the total cost of ownership.
This achievement builds upon Samsung’s earlier work in 2024, when it completed an industry-first end-to-end call in a lab environment using the Intel Xeon 6 SoC. Samsung has been focused on pushing the boundaries of network virtualisation, aiming to deliver exceptional performance and reliability to operators.
The demonstration utilized a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) server from Hewlett Packard Enterprise and a cloud platform from Wind River. According to Samsung, this setup allows operators to consolidate software-driven network elements on a single server powered by its AI-powered vRAN and enhanced processors.
Beyond cost savings in capital and operational expenditures, this vRAN approach is expected to reduce network power consumption and facilitate the adoption of AI-RAN and AI services, accelerating readiness for 6G through increased flexibility and automation.
Daryl Schoolar, analyst and director at Recon Analytics, described the successful first call as “an important milestone for the industry.” He added, “By demonstrating multiple network functions running on next-generation processing technology, Samsung is showing what future networks look like – more cloud-native, more scalable and significantly more efficient. This achievement moves the industry beyond theoretical performance gains and into practical, deployable innovation.”
June Moon, executive vice-president and head of R&D for networks business at Samsung Electronics, stated, “This breakthrough represents a major leap forward in network virtualisation and efficiency. It confirms the real-world readiness of this latest technology under live network conditions, demonstrating that single-server vRAN deployments can withstand the stringent performance and reliability standards required by leading carriers.”
Moon continued, “We are not only deploying more sustainable, cost-effective networks, but also laying the foundation to fully utilise AI capabilities more easily and prepare for 6G with our end-to-end software-driven network solutions.”
Cristina Rodriguez, vice-president and general manager of network and edge at Intel, noted, “With Intel Xeon 6 SoC, featuring higher core counts and built-in acceleration for AI and vRAN, operators get the compute foundation for AI-native, future-ready networks. This collaborative achievement with Samsung, HPE and Wind River enables greater consolidation of RAN and AI workloads, lowering power and total cost while speeding innovation.”
