NTT Docomo's Multi-Vendor Open RAN Goes Commercial: A Skeptical Executive's Q&A with Nokia

September 15, 2026
11 mins
Technology
5g multi vendor ran nokia ntt docomo o ran alliance open ran telecom

NTT Docomo’s Multi-Vendor Open RAN Goes Commercial: A Skeptical Executive’s Q&A with Nokia

On September 15, 2026, NTT Docomo and Nokia announced something that open RAN watchers have been waiting years to see: a commercial, multi-vendor Open RAN base station, deployed live in Japan, connecting to radio units from different vendors. Docomo claims a world first for this specific configuration. Nokia calls it a milestone for its OREX SMO and MantaRay SON platforms. The press releases are glowing. But if you are a telecom executive with a multi-billion-dollar RAN budget, the press release is not what matters. What matters is whether this changes your procurement calculus, your TCO model, or your 6G roadmap.

We have read the coverage, the vendor materials, and the industry context. Here are the questions a skeptical executive should be asking, answered from the research.

What exactly did Docomo and Nokia deploy?

NTT Docomo has begun commercial operation of Nokia’s latest base station, configured for a multi-vendor Open RAN environment. The key phrase is “multi-vendor.” This is not a single-vendor open RAN deployment where one supplier provides both the baseband and the radios but wraps them in O-RAN-compliant interfaces. According to the coverage, this base station allows the equipment to connect with open radio units from different vendors.

Docomo claims to be the first in the world to deploy this specific Nokia equipment in this configuration. The base station supports both LTE and 5G, uses Massive MIMO, and consumes less power than previous generations. It leverages Nokia’s OREX SMO (Service Management and Orchestration) and MantaRay SON (Self-Organizing Network) platforms. The O-RAN Alliance-compliant base station was demonstrated over the weekend at the 59th Joso Kinu River Fireworks Festival, where Nokia’s Massive MIMO network optimization technology was used to enhance connectivity during peak traffic.

That last detail matters. A fireworks festival is a real-world stress test: thousands of people concentrated in one area, all uploading photos and videos simultaneously. If the multi-vendor setup held up under that load, it is not a lab experiment. It is a live network handling real traffic.

Why is this different from the “single-vendor open RAN” we have seen so far?

The distinction is critical. Dell’Oro analyst Stefan Pongratz recently noted that “multivendor RAN outlook remains subdued” and that “broader adoption of open fronthaul is not expected to significantly alter RAN supplier concentration, as most deployments will continue to use radios and basebands from the same supplier.” In other words, most so-called open RAN deployments today are single-vendor: one supplier provides the baseband and the radios, and the operator gets the benefits of open interfaces without actually mixing vendors at the same site.

What Docomo and Nokia are doing is different. The base station is configured to connect with open radio units from different vendors. That means Docomo can, in principle, pair Nokia’s baseband with radios from another supplier. This is the multi-vendor vision that open RAN was supposed to deliver. It is also the vision that has been slow to materialize because of integration complexity, performance concerns, and commercial incentives that favor single-vendor deals.

The fact that this is now in commercial operation, not just a trial, is significant. It suggests that the integration challenges are being solved, at least for this specific configuration. It also suggests that Nokia is willing to play in a multi-vendor world, even though it could theoretically lose radio share if operators mix and match.

Is this actually a world first, or is it marketing?

Docomo claims a world first for this specific setup. We should be careful here. “World first” claims in telecom are often narrowly defined. It is possible that other operators have deployed multi-vendor open RAN in limited configurations, or that other vendors have similar capabilities. What we can say is that this is the first commercial deployment of Nokia’s latest base station in a multi-vendor Open RAN configuration, and Docomo is the first operator to claim this specific milestone.

The more important question is not whether it is a world first, but whether it is reproducible and scalable. A single deployment at a fireworks festival is a proof point, not a transformation. The industry will be watching to see whether Docomo expands this to a wider footprint, and whether other operators follow suit.

What does Nokia get out of this?

Nokia has been positioning itself as a leader in open RAN and AI-RAN. This deployment reinforces that positioning. It shows that Nokia’s baseband can interoperate with third-party radios, which is a key requirement for operators who want to avoid vendor lock-in. It also showcases Nokia’s OREX SMO and MantaRay SON platforms, which are the management and orchestration layers that make multi-vendor RAN manageable.

But there is a tension here. If Nokia makes it easy for operators to mix and match radios, Nokia could lose radio market share. The company is betting that the benefits of being a trusted multi-vendor partner outweigh the risk of losing some radio deals. It is also betting that its software and orchestration capabilities will be a differentiator, even if the radios are commoditized.

This is a strategic bet that other vendors are watching closely. Ericsson, for example, has been more dismissive of multi-vendor 6G, arguing that multivendor 6G does not require a new interface between DUs because open fronthaul already exists. Ericsson’s position is that operators can already mix and match at the fronthaul level, so the multi-vendor story is less revolutionary than it sounds. Nokia’s counterargument, implicit in this deployment, is that making it work commercially at scale requires more than just an interface. It requires orchestration, optimization, and operational integration. That is what Nokia is selling.

What does Docomo get out of this?

Docomo gets flexibility, operational efficiency, and cost reduction, according to the coverage. The company says the multi-vendor setup enhances network flexibility and reduces costs. It also sets a benchmark for future 5G rollouts.

For Docomo, the strategic value is likely twofold. First, it reduces dependence on a single vendor. If Docomo can mix and match radios and basebands, it has more leverage in negotiations and more resilience in its supply chain. Second, it positions Docomo as a leader in open RAN, which is important for its brand and for its ability to influence industry standards.

Docomo has a history of being an early adopter of new network technologies. It was one of the first operators to launch 5G, and it has been active in the O-RAN Alliance. This deployment is consistent with that history. It is also a signal to the Japanese government, which has been supportive of open RAN as a way to diversify the telecom supply chain away from Chinese vendors.

Does this change the business case for open RAN?

The business case for open RAN has always been about reducing costs and increasing flexibility. The promise is that operators can mix and match components from different vendors, driving down prices and avoiding lock-in. The reality has been more complicated. Integration costs, performance gaps, and operational complexity have often offset the theoretical savings.

This deployment is a data point that suggests the integration costs are coming down. If Docomo can deploy a multi-vendor base station commercially, and if it works under real-world traffic conditions, then the business case becomes stronger. But one deployment does not prove a business case. The industry needs to see multiple operators, multiple vendors, and multiple geographies before we can say that multi-vendor open RAN is mainstream.

There is also the question of scale. Multi-vendor open RAN may work well in a dense urban area with a few sites, but scaling it to thousands of sites across a country is a different challenge. The operational complexity grows exponentially. Docomo and Nokia will need to demonstrate that this deployment can be replicated at scale before other operators commit.

What about the 6G implications?

The timing of this announcement is not accidental. The telecom industry is already looking ahead to 6G, which is expected to launch in the 2030 timeframe. One of the big questions for 6G is whether it will be multi-vendor or single-vendor. Light Reading recently published a piece titled “6G is shaping up to be a big multivendor letdown,” which argued that most operators will continue to use radios and basebands from the same supplier, even in 6G.

Docomo and Nokia’s deployment is a counterpoint to that narrative. It shows that multi-vendor open RAN is technically feasible and commercially deployable. If it can be scaled, it could influence how 6G networks are built. Operators who see this working in 5G may be more willing to demand multi-vendor capabilities in 6G.

But the skeptics have a point. Ericsson has argued that multivendor 6G does not require a new interface between DUs, because open fronthaul already exists. If Ericsson is right, then the multi-vendor story for 6G is less about new technology and more about commercial willingness. The technology may be ready, but the business incentives may still favor single-vendor deals.

What should skeptical executives watch for next?

First, watch for expansion. Is this a one-off deployment or the beginning of a broader rollout? If Docomo expands multi-vendor open RAN to more sites, that is a strong signal. If it remains a showcase, that is a weaker signal.

Second, watch for other operators. If other tier-one operators follow Docomo’s lead, that changes the market dynamics. If they do not, then Docomo may be an outlier.

Third, watch for vendor responses. How do Ericsson, Samsung, and others respond? Do they accelerate their own multi-vendor capabilities, or do they double down on single-vendor solutions? The competitive dynamics will shape the market.

Fourth, watch for performance data. The fireworks festival demonstration is anecdotal. Executives should look for hard data on spectral efficiency, latency, and reliability in multi-vendor configurations compared to single-vendor. If the performance gap is small, the business case is stronger. If it is large, the business case weakens.

Fifth, watch for TCO analysis. The promise of open RAN is lower total cost of ownership. But TCO includes integration, operations, and lifecycle management. Executives should demand detailed TCO comparisons before committing.

What are the risks?

The biggest risk is that multi-vendor open RAN remains a niche. If most operators continue to buy single-vendor solutions, then the ecosystem of third-party radio vendors may not achieve the scale needed to be competitive. Without scale, prices will not come down, and the business case will not materialize.

Another risk is operational complexity. Managing a multi-vendor network requires new skills, new processes, and new tools. Operators that are not prepared may find that the operational costs offset the procurement savings.

A third risk is vendor commitment. Nokia is clearly committed to multi-vendor open RAN, but other vendors may be less enthusiastic. If Nokia is the only major vendor pushing multi-vendor, then operators may find themselves dependent on Nokia for integration, which defeats the purpose of multi-vendor.

Finally, there is the risk of distraction. The telecom industry has a history of chasing shiny objects. Open RAN, AI-RAN, 6G—there are many competing priorities. Executives need to decide whether multi-vendor open RAN is a strategic priority or a science project. The Docomo deployment suggests it is moving from science project to strategic priority, but the jury is still out.

The bottom line

NTT Docomo’s commercial deployment of Nokia’s multi-vendor Open RAN base station is a genuine milestone. It shows that multi-vendor open RAN is technically feasible and can handle real-world traffic. It validates Nokia’s strategy of selling orchestration and software alongside radios. It gives Docomo a leadership position in open RAN.

But it is not a knockout punch for single-vendor RAN. The industry still needs to see scale, performance data, and broader operator adoption. Skeptical executives should view this as a positive data point, not a decisive one. The question is not whether multi-vendor open RAN can work. The question is whether it can work at scale, at a lower cost, and with acceptable operational complexity. Docomo and Nokia have taken a step toward answering that question. The next step is up to the rest of the industry.