Mavenir and Boost Mobile laid claim to the first industry inter-vendor open RAN handover using the 3GPP Xn interface across the operator’s greenfield 5G network, a move they attested proved interoperability.

AvidThink founder and principal Roy Chua told Mobile World Live (MWL) the commercial in-service handover is likely the first, but noted there have been multiple tests between different vendor radios.

“This is a handoff between two operating gNodeB nodes from different vendors on a production network,” he explained.

Interoperability between open RAN vendors is a critical element for enabling operators to use equipment from multiple companies.

Open RAN also holds the promise of reducing dependency on a single vendor and lowering costs through the multi-vendor approach.

Mavenir and Boost Mobile explained the 3GPP Xn interface eases “communication between RAN nodes from different vendors, ensuring uninterrupted call continuity and a smooth user experience”.

They noted RAN with proprietary interfaces require operators to rely on single-source networks across regional deployments.

The Xn interface enables interconnection across open and closed RAN nodes, providing “greater interoperability and vendor flexibility across the same region”.

A Boost Mobile representative told MWL the Xn interface is live across the operator’s entire network.

The commercial in-service handover included an unnamed third-party vendor.

Mavenir was named one of Dish Wireless’ first open RAN vendors in 2020.

The announcement with Boost Mobile is another recent sign of Mavenir’s progress in the open RAN sector, including a deal with AT&T.