RAN stands for Radio Access Network, a part of the wireless communication system that runs behind the scenes of mobile phone services.
An intermediary for mobile phone services
A RAN organizes communication data received from smartphones and other devices and delivers it to the central core network. There are three major parts that enable mobile phone connections, and a RAN falls into the second one below.
(1) Communication devices such as smartphones and tablets
(2) Wireless access networks consisting of antennas and base stations
(3) A core network that performs various controls centrally
Because a RAN is composed of transmission lines, antennas, base stations, communication control units and other elements, it has many things to process with large amounts of equipment. Since the design must be tailored to unique service situations, it is common for mobile operators to build their own RANs.
Improvements being made to RANs for the 5G era and beyond
Since the first generation (1G) of wireless communication systems, when mobile phones first appeared, the basic RAN concept has stayed the same. RANs, however, become more complex with each successive generation. In recent years, industry efforts have been made to simplify RANs and reduce power consumption through the application of virtualization and other new technologies. These technologies will become indispensable to 5G and future generations of wireless communications.
(Posted on June 30, 2022, Original article posted on June 20)
by SoftBank News Editors
