Hewlett Packard Enterprise powering TELUS

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is working with TELUS, which is building Canada’s first 5G open radio access network (Open RAN), by providing infrastructure across 3,000 sites. Once completed, the new TELUS Open RAN 5G network will provide instantaneously-responsive connectivity enhancing the customer experience with faster connectivity and mobile access.

Designed specifically to support high-performance telecommunications workloads, HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen11 servers provide an open and flexible, virtualized foundation to deliver next-generation cellular connectivity to urban and rural Canadians. The servers provide Open RAN infrastructure to assist TELUS with the interoperability it needed to build a scalable, best-of-breed 5G network. HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers will provide the foundation for a Distributed Unit (DU) which is responsible for preparing data for transmission across the 5G network.

“Open RAN technology enables HPE’s telco customers the interoperability to design and manage their network with the equipment and software they desire,” said Phil Cutrone, senior vice president and general manager of Service Providers, OEM and Telco at HPE. “This is one example of why we are the infrastructure of choice for telco carriers worldwide. HPE enables success by providing the most energy efficient, open, and flexible solutions at the edge.”

Access to 5G networks is expected to transform worldwide data networks by enabling real-time internet of things (IoT) systems like immersive virtual reality and embedding artificial intelligence (AI) in business and consumer applications. Projections estimate 5G will triple network traffic by 2028[1]. This includes demand from remote and rural businesses and consumers that have traditionally had limited access to data networks, as 5G communications are expected to enable their operations and communities to thrive.

"We are excited to elevate mobile communications for Canadians through the integration of our 5G network with Open RAN, which offers unmatched flexibility and diversity in services," stated Nazim Benhadid, Chief Technology Officer at TELUS. "Partnering with HPE, we are constructing a next-generation network that lays the foundation for continuous innovation and success for both our business and consumer customers. Moreover, this HPE solution not only meets the performance requirements but also plays a pivotal role in our commitment to reducing energy intensity per terabyte of data traffic by 50% by 2030."

HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers are purpose-built, ruggedized, and Network Equipment-Building System (NEBS)-compliant to enable an Open RAN solution. Providing a DU that frees TELUS from historical reliance on proprietary appliances enables the carrier to smoothly and flexibly integrate with other Open RAN 5G infrastructure components.

The HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen11 servers use AI-enabled innovation to distinguish between periods of high and low utilization, putting under-utilized infrastructure into an idle state without compromising latency or RAN network availability. The ability to optimize power consumption produces infrastructure power savings compared to existing Open RAN implementations.