Far EasTone Becomes World’s First CSP to Build a Standalone 5G ONF Aether Open Network Testbed

fet 300x218 pngFET Press Release, Nov 21, 2022 – Far EasTone (FET), a leading CSP in Taiwan, continues to move forward on advanced 5G open networking architecture development. Following the intensive collaboration with the Open Network Foundation (ONF) and major domestic and foreign network communications partners to build Taiwan’s first 5G ONF open network testbed in late of 2021, FET today announced that it has become the world’s first CSP to have completed an ONF Aether-based  self-managed 5G open network standalone testbed. This will substantially increase both the speed and the capacity of standalone 5G networks to meet the huge demand for 5G vertical applications, private networks, smart cities and metaverse applications. While marking a new milestone in 5G technology development, FET once again demonstrated outstanding capabilities in 5G technologies and services. 

 “FET has spared no effort in advancing its 5G development,” said Jason Kuo, acting executive Vice President of FET’s Network and Technical Group. “We continue to lead Taiwan’s telecom industry in breaking new ground in the development of 5G by deploying various innovative technologies and building new business models.” 

“We are very pleased to have been recognized by ONF to be the world’s first CSP to have completed the self-managed deployment of an end-to-end testing environment for a 5G ONF open network,” said Kuo. “This is the best testimony to the 5G capability of both FET and Taiwan. Going forward, FET will work to make the best even better by continuing to strengthen our technological foundation and to collaborate with partners in the 5G ecosystem.”

“The goal is to promote the development of the 5G supply chain, build a world-class premium quality 5G network and innovative applications, propel the digital transformation and innovative advancement of Taiwan’s industries and finally, benefit both our consumers and corporate clients,” he said.

An open network architecture has become one of the most important trends in network development. In 2020, FET was the first Taiwan CSP to join the ONF, working with allied partners to build a network ecosystem compatible with the global open network architecture. Now, FET has become the world’s first CSP to have completed a 5G self-managed deployment of open network end-to-end testbed. This was made possible by using the ONF Aether platform, with brand new innovative thinking, and by building a CI/CD framework for open networks. In addition, FET also introduced software for open network management. 

FET is committed to pursuing excellence in 5G. The company has won many distinctions by being the perennial leader in both Taiwan and the world with abundant industrial experience and R&D capacity accumulated over many years. Those distinctions include the completion of the world’s first standalone multiple network slice testing in 2021, building the Taiwan telecom industry’s first ONF open network testbed, and now becoming the world’s first CSP to have completed a self-managed deployment of an end-to-end 5G open network testbed. All those achievements help to advance the innovation-driven transformation of both the 5G networks and 5G business models. In the future, FET will continue to adopt cutting-edge technologies, optimize network performance and user experience, and foster the development of Taiwan’s 5G sector in the global supply chain. 

Link to original FET press release in Chinese