It uses Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) with states and rewards that are uniquely formulated based on the network RF environment and usage demand to achieve energy saving goals without sacrificing the end-user network quality. The ESMC solution can also be extended to coordinate with other AirHop Apps for additonal QoS optimization actions in response to the decisions to change the capacity carrier energy state. AirHop is currently supporting the ESMC rApp in a Tier 1 operator trial with deployments on several RIC platforms.
"Energy efficiency is a top priority for mobile operators given the expanding adoption of 5G, their ambitions to reach net zero and the impact of rising energy prices on their profitability," noted James Crawshaw, principal analyst with Omdia. " AirHop’s Energy Saving rApp addresses a key need as the industry starts to adopt open RAN technologies."
The expanding requirement for energy consumption from 5G network is creating an urgency from CSPs to deploy a variety of technologies and solutions that focus on reducing energy demand. AirHop's ESMC rApp is designed to minimize energy consumption, reducing energy costs and carbon footprint, without compromising end-user quality of service through dynamic multi-carrier management. In addition, AirHop foresees additional extensions of energy savings capabilities and actions being possible from the AI/ML intelligence already part of the ESMC rApp.
“VMware RIC modernizes the RAN to be open and modular, built with solutions from our vibrant ecosystem of partners such as AirHop, ” said Lakshmi Mandyam, vice president of product management and partner ecosystems, Service Provider and Edge BU at VMware. “AirHop’s Auptim solutions help CSPs achieve automated network optimization, business performance benefits, and improvements to RAN sustainability.”
As a participant in the VMware rAppathon at Mobile World Congress (MWC), AirHop will pitch its AI/ML-based Energy Savings rApp to a panel of judges, competing with six other x/rApp developers to showcase the potential of their solution. Learn more about the rAppathon at https://blogs.vmware.com/telco/rapppathon/. The company will also demonstrate its Auptim Energy Savings rApp in the VMware booth (Fira Grand Via - Stand 3M11 in Hall 3) at MWC Barcelona from February 27th through March 2nd.
"As the demand for 5G networks continues to grow, it is imperative that CSPs find ways to manage energy consumption efficiently,” said Joe Thome, vice president business operations and marketing at AirHop. “Our AI/ML powered Energy Savings rApp leverages DRL to provide dynamic management of multi-carrier RAN deployments, minimizing energy consumption and ensuring end-user quality of service.”
