Samsung just scored one of Europe's biggest Open RAN wins, landing a five-year partnership with Vodafone to deploy thousands of AI-powered network sites across Germany and beyond. The deal positions Samsung as the primary partner for what will become one of Europe's largest Open RAN deployments, with the first site already live in Hannover and an entire city - Wismar - set to go fully Open RAN by early 2026.
Samsung just reshaped Europe's telecom landscape with a blockbuster Open RAN deal that caught the industry off guard. Vodafone, Europe's telecom giant, selected Samsung as its primary partner for deploying Open RAN technology across Germany and other European markets in what's shaping up to be one of the continent's most ambitious network modernization projects.
The partnership isn't just about geographic expansion - it's a bet on AI-powered network automation that could redefine how European carriers operate. Samsung's first site went live in Hannover, with Wismar set to become the first European city fully equipped with Open RAN by early 2026. But that's just the beginning of a five-year program that will see thousands of Open RAN sites deployed across Vodafone's European footprint.
"Open RAN is a key pillar of our mission to build best-in-class networks," Vodafone Chief Network Officer Alberto Ripepi told Samsung Newsroom. "The next step in our journey is to extend our Open RAN reach to more countries."
The deal validates Samsung's aggressive push into European telecom infrastructure, where it's been steadily building momentum against established players like Ericsson and Nokia. Germany represents Vodafone's biggest operation, making this deployment a critical proof point for Open RAN technology at scale.
Samsung's winning formula combines its virtualized RAN (vRAN) solution with multi-generational support spanning 2G, 4G, and 5G networks. But the real differentiator is the company's AI-powered Samsung CognitiV Network Operations Suite, which brings autonomous network management capabilities that promise significant operational cost savings.
The AI angle is crucial here. Samsung's Energy Saving Manager analyzes site environments and traffic patterns in real-time, automatically switching off cell sites during low-traffic periods and reactivating them when demand increases. This isn't just about efficiency - it's about fundamentally changing how networks operate in an era where energy costs and sustainability concerns are paramount.