Key elements of the Juniper RIC include our Non-Real-Time (Non-RT) and Near-Real-Time (Near-RT) RICs and specialized applications called rApps and xApps. The Juniper Non-RT RIC enables greater-than-one-second control and policy guidance over the RAN elements and their resources through rApps. It also enables AI/ML capabilities for the RAN. The Non-RT RIC runs in the network operator’s cloud.

The Juniper Near-RT RIC is responsible for fast loop control of the RAN network functions. It provides less-than-one-second control over the RAN nodes and resources. It can host and deploy specialized xApps.

Juniper’s Non-RT RIC communicates with the Near-RT RIC over an A1 interface to provide policy-based guidance to the xApps running on the Near-RT RIC that optimizes RAN behavior for variables such as capacity, customer-specific service levels, and energy efficiency. Our Non-RT RIC uses long-term network data, such as performance metrics and enrichment data from external applications, to train and generate AI/ML-driven applications.

Juniper, along with its partners, provides O-RAN compliant xApps/rApps such as Tenant/Slice Aware Admission Control, RAN Slice SLA Assurance, Energy Efficiency, Traffic Steering, and Self-Organizing Networks (SON).

The RIC, which controls and optimizes RAN functions, is a critical component that ultimately allows service providers to bring innovative new services and features to market faster. The RIC brings intelligence, agility, and programmability to the RAN, enabling the creation of third-party applications that automate and optimize RAN operations at scale while supporting innovative use cases. The RIC helps mobile operators reduce both infrastructure and operational costs, improve network performance, and increase business agility. Use cases such as quality of service/quality of experience (QoS/QoE) optimization and traffic steering improve service performance for personalized and custom experiences, while RAN efficiency use cases can lower operations costs by reducing energy consumption. The RIC can also help mobile operators build new revenue streams with personalized services, network slicing, and indoor location tracking capabilities.

Who should deploy the RIC?

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