Samsung and Vodafone just completed Europe's first call using Samsung's virtualized RAN solution powered by Intel Xeon 6 SoC, marking a critical milestone in the race toward AI-native networks. The successful test validates a new chipset architecture that consolidates 2G, 4G, and 5G workloads on a single high-performance server, paving the way for commercial deployment across Germany and broader Europe throughout 2026. This breakthrough reinforces Samsung's position as Vodafone's strategic Open RAN partner and signals a fundamental shift toward software-driven, cloud-native network infrastructure that fully supports AI automation.
Samsung and Vodafone just made telecom history. The two companies completed Europe's first call using Samsung's virtualized RAN solution running on Intel Xeon 6 SoC, according to Samsung's announcement. It's a milestone that signals a fundamental shift in how carriers will build and operate next-generation networks.
The Intel Xeon 6 system-on-chip represents a breakthrough in network consolidation. The chipset handles intensive workloads and AI applications across 2G, 4G, and 5G networks simultaneously on a single high-performance server. For Vodafone, that means managing fewer systems, less hardware, and significantly reduced energy consumption while matching or exceeding the performance of traditional RAN baseband solutions. The test was conducted with ecosystem partners Dell Technologies providing server infrastructure and Wind River supplying the cloud platform.
The announcement builds on Samsung's selection as Vodafone's key strategic partner for Open RAN deployment at scale across Europe. The companies deployed their first Open RAN test site in Germany last year, and they've been rapidly extending the technology to additional commercial sites ever since.
Now the stakes are getting higher. Later this year, Wismar - a Hanseatic city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania - is set to become the first city in Vodafone's German mobile network to be fully equipped with Open RAN. It's a proof point the industry is watching closely. With network performance matching or exceeding traditional hardware-based solutions, Vodafone's Open RAN deployment in Germany is on track to cover broader regions in a phased approach driven by rapid integration of the latest processor advancements.
"Vodafone is focused on delivering the best possible customer experience by building a future-ready network," Marco Zangani, Director of Network Strategy and Architecture at Vodafone, told Samsung Newsroom. "The test conducted with Samsung, alongside our implementation of open network architecture, supports this strategy, enabling us to introduce new 5G-Advanced services while enhancing energy efficiency and streamlining operations through automation and AI from the cell site to the edge of the network and in the core."
Samsung's vRAN architecture offers flexibility that traditional network infrastructure simply can't match. Operators can efficiently manage network resources and apply unused computing capacity to host and run AI and edge applications directly on their existing telco infrastructure - closer to where data is generated and used. That versatility enables seamless processing power management and enhances responsiveness, while paving the way for next-generation customer experiences ranging from emerging devices to more dynamic, latency-sensitive applications.
The commercial implications are significant. By fostering an open ecosystem, Open RAN accelerates the delivery of high-performance, energy-efficient connectivity while enabling Vodafone to rapidly introduce innovative services that adapt to evolving customer demands. It's a stark departure from the vendor lock-in that has defined telecom infrastructure for decades.
"This breakthrough with Vodafone shows how a software, cloud-native approach empowers networks to become more efficient, more adaptable and ready for what's next," said Everth Flores, Vice President and Head of Samsung Networks Europe, in the company's statement. "By advancing toward more flexible networks, we are not only facilitating immediate AI adoption but also laying the essential groundwork for an AI-native, 6G-ready infrastructure."
To efficiently manage software-driven networks at scale, Samsung and Vodafone are deploying Samsung CognitiV Network Operations Suite (NOS). This AI-powered automation solution is designed specifically for Vodafone's large-scale Open RAN deployment and AI transformation across Europe, enabling one-click network deployment and easier upgrades. It's the kind of operational efficiency that makes Open RAN economically viable at carrier scale.
Samsung Networks has pioneered 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and cores. Through ongoing research and development, the company is driving the industry to advance 5G networks and paving the way for 6G with its product portfolio spanning purpose-built RAN, vRAN, Open RAN, AI-RAN, and core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators delivering connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.
The timing of this validation is critical. As carriers face mounting pressure to reduce costs, improve energy efficiency, and prepare infrastructure for AI workloads, Open RAN and virtualized architectures represent one of the few paths forward that doesn't require ripping out existing investments. The successful Intel Xeon 6 validation gives Vodafone and other carriers confidence that the technology is ready for prime time.
Samsung and Vodafone's successful validation of Intel Xeon 6 for virtualized RAN isn't just a technical achievement - it's a commercial inflection point for Open RAN in Europe. With Wismar set to become Germany's first fully Open RAN-equipped city later this year and phased regional expansion planned across Vodafone's European footprint, the technology is moving rapidly from test labs to live networks. The combination of Samsung's vRAN solution, AI-powered automation through CognitiV NOS, and Intel's latest chipset architecture gives carriers a credible path to reduce costs, improve energy efficiency, and prepare infrastructure for AI workloads without forklift upgrades. As other European carriers watch Vodafone's deployment closely, this validation could accelerate Open RAN adoption across the continent and reshape the competitive dynamics of telecom infrastructure.
