WiSig Opens Commercial Orders for Made-in-India O-RAN Massive MIMO Radio: What It Means for Open RAN Economics

Executive briefing memo | Open RAN blog | 10 October 2026

Bottom line up front

WiSig Networks has opened commercial orders for its O-RAN-compliant 32TR Massive MIMO ULPI Radio Unit, with volume shipments planned for 2027. The announcement, made at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, is a concrete milestone in Open RAN hardware: a Made-in-India radio that meets O-RAN fronthaul specifications and targets the uplink-heavy traffic profiles that operators increasingly expect from AI and industrial applications. For Open RAN operators, the move signals a broadening of the radio unit (RU) supplier base and a potential path to lower cost per site—but it also raises hard questions about integration, scale, and whether a single new entrant can shift the economics of a market still dominated by a handful of incumbents.

What WiSig announced

At IMC 2026, WiSig Networks opened commercial orders for its O-RAN 32TR Massive MIMO ULPI Radio Unit. Volume shipments are planned for 2027. The radio is O-RAN compliant, meaning it exposes the standardised 7.2x fronthaul interface that allows it to connect to third-party distributed units (DUs) and centralised units (CUs) from other vendors. That interoperability is the core promise of Open RAN: operators can mix and match RUs, DUs, and CUs rather than buying a vertically integrated stack from a single supplier.

The “32TR” designation refers to 32 transmit/receive channels, a configuration typical of massive MIMO radios used in mid-band 5G deployments. Massive MIMO is the workhorse technology for capacity and coverage in dense urban environments, and it is increasingly important for uplink performance. The “ULPI” label points to uplink-centric design—an acknowledgement that future traffic patterns, driven by AI, video, and industrial IoT, may demand more uplink capacity than today’s networks were built to deliver.

WiSig’s founder, Kiran Kuchi, who is also a professor at IIT Hyderabad, said the radio is the result of years of research in massive MIMO and uplink receiver algorithms at IIT Hyderabad and WiSig. He noted that the work began well before ULPI was standardised and was advanced with R&D funding from the IIITB COMET Foundation, supported by the Department of Science and Technology’s NM-ICPS mission, and engineered into a carrier-grade product by the WiSig team.

That provenance matters. It is not a repackaged foreign design; it is a product of Indian research and engineering, backed by public R&D funding. For India’s telecom ecosystem, it is a proof point that the country can produce carrier-grade Open RAN radios, not just software or integration services.

Why this is significant for Open RAN

Open RAN’s promise has always been about disaggregation: breaking the radio access network into interoperable components so operators can source from multiple vendors, avoid lock-in, and drive down costs through competition. But the reality has been slower than the hype. Most commercial Open RAN deployments still rely on a small number of RU suppliers, and many so-called Open RAN deals are effectively single-vendor modernisations with open interfaces.

A new, credible RU supplier—especially one with a massive MIMO product—changes the calculus. Massive MIMO radios are among the most expensive and technically complex components in a RAN. They are also where vendor differentiation is strongest. If WiSig can deliver a carrier-grade 32TR massive MIMO radio at a competitive price, it gives operators a genuine alternative for a critical piece of the network.

The timing is also notable. Operators are preparing for 5G-Advanced and eventually 6G, and many are evaluating how to handle uplink-heavy traffic from AI applications. A radio designed with uplink performance in mind could be attractive to operators planning for those workloads. It also aligns with the broader industry conversation about AI-RAN and the need for more flexible, software-driven radio infrastructure.

The uplink question

For years, mobile networks have been optimised for downlink—download speeds for consumers. But the rise of AI, video uploads, and industrial applications is shifting the balance. AI models on devices, smart glasses, and robots generate data that must be sent upstream. Operators and vendors are debating how quickly uplink demand will grow and whether it justifies incremental investment.

Deutsche Telekom recently threw cold water on the idea that AI uplink traffic will drive a significant increase in RAN capex in the medium term. A senior executive said he could not recall a single conversation in which the CTO or others approached the finance team saying there was an incremental requirement for investment to prepare for additional uplink or AI-related traffic. That is a sobering data point for anyone betting on an imminent uplink-driven spending wave.

At the same time, other operators are preparing. Jio has been vocal about the need for “intelligent RAN” that can adapt to extreme density—India has population densities 13–15 times those of developed countries, and events like the Pandharpur and Tirupati gatherings can concentrate 100,000 people per square kilometre. In such environments, uplink capacity and interference management become critical. Jio’s leadership has argued that AI-powered RAN systems can help operators move beyond being “dumb pipes” and capture more value from digital services.

WiSig’s ULPI radio is a bet that uplink-centric design will matter. Whether that bet pays off depends on how quickly AI-driven uplink traffic materialises and whether operators are willing to invest ahead of demand. The Deutsche Telekom stance suggests many are not yet convinced. But for operators in dense markets like India, the calculus may be different.

The vendor landscape

WiSig is not the only company pushing Open RAN hardware. At IMC 2026, Lekha Wireless announced a partnership with Analog Devices to integrate ADI’s ADRV906x (Samana) platform into its 5G and 4G RAN products. The Samana platform integrates RF and digital processing into a software-defined radio architecture and provides O-RAN-compliant 7.2x Low PHY functionality. That kind of integration simplifies radio design and improves energy efficiency—both critical for competitive Open RAN hardware.

Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung remain the dominant RAN vendors, and they are all active in Open RAN to varying degrees. Nokia is replacing Huawei at 3,000 Deutsche Telekom sites by 2027, using open RAN technology. Ericsson, meanwhile, is showcasing AI-powered networks and 6G innovations at IMC 2026, but it has not yet commercialised a purpose-built baseband product that could connect via open interfaces to third-party massive MIMO radios—a gap that Open RAN advocates often cite.

Fujitsu’s 1Finity is also eyeing India, but its global CEO acknowledged that most Indian operators have already selected equipment partners for existing 5G rollouts, limiting near-term opportunities. 1Finity is looking to 5G-Advanced, 6G, and AI-RAN for future growth, and it remains active in Open RAN despite slower-than-expected market expansion.

The entry of WiSig and Lekha suggests that the Open RAN hardware ecosystem is broadening, at least in India. But scale matters. Incumbent vendors have decades of manufacturing experience, global supply chains, and deep integration with operators. A new entrant must prove not just technical compliance but also reliability, support, and cost competitiveness at scale.

India as a proving ground

India is an attractive market for Open RAN experimentation. It has a large, dense population, aggressive 5G rollouts by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, and a government that has promoted domestic telecom manufacturing. The country also has a growing ecosystem of startups and research institutions focused on telecom technology.

WiSig’s radio is a product of that ecosystem. The involvement of IIT Hyderabad and the IIITB COMET Foundation, with funding from the Department of Science and Technology, highlights the role of public R&D in advancing telecom hardware. If WiSig can achieve commercial success, it could encourage more investment in Indian telecom hardware and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

But India is also a challenging market. Operators are highly cost-sensitive, and they have already made significant investments in 5G infrastructure. The scope for new vendors to enter ongoing rollouts is limited, as 1Finity’s CEO noted. WiSig’s opportunity may lie in future deployments—5G-Advanced upgrades, new sites, or replacements—rather than immediate displacement of incumbent gear.

What operators should consider

For Open RAN operators evaluating WiSig’s radio, several factors matter:

1. Interoperability testing. O-RAN compliance is necessary but not sufficient. Operators should demand proof of interoperability with their chosen DU/CU vendors, including performance under load and in dense environments.
2. Uplink performance. The ULPI design is a differentiator, but operators need field data to validate whether it delivers meaningful gains in real-world conditions.
3. Supply chain and support. A new vendor must demonstrate it can manufacture at scale, meet delivery timelines, and provide ongoing support. Volume shipments are planned for 2027; operators should scrutinise the ramp-up plan.
4. Total cost of ownership. The business case for Open RAN rests on lower TCO. Operators should compare not just unit price but also integration, power, and maintenance costs.
5. Roadmap alignment. Does WiSig’s roadmap align with the operator’s plans for 5G-Advanced and 6G? A radio is a long-term investment; operators need confidence that the vendor will evolve with the standards.

The competitive response

Incumbent vendors are unlikely to cede the massive MIMO market without a fight. They have deep relationships with operators, proven products, and the ability to bundle radios with baseband and software. They may also accelerate their own Open RAN roadmaps to blunt the appeal of new entrants.

At the same time, the incumbents face their own challenges. Ericsson’s delayed RAN compute roadmap and its limited progress on open interfaces for massive MIMO have been criticised. Nokia is making progress with Deutsche Telekom, but it is also balancing Open RAN with its traditional business. Samsung is active in Open RAN, particularly in Korea and the US, but it is not a dominant player in India.

The entry of WiSig and Lekha could put pressure on pricing and force incumbents to be more flexible. That would be good news for operators, but only if the new products meet carrier-grade requirements.

What to watch

• WiSig’s first commercial deployments. Which operators will deploy the radio, and in what scenarios? Early wins will be critical for credibility.
• Volume shipment execution in 2027. Can WiSig ramp production and meet quality and delivery targets?
• Interoperability certifications. Will WiSig secure certifications with major DU/CU vendors?
• Uplink traffic trends. Will AI-driven uplink demand materialise fast enough to justify uplink-centric radios?
• Competitive pricing. How will incumbents respond, and will operators see meaningful TCO reductions?

The bottom line

WiSig’s commercial launch of an O-RAN 32TR Massive MIMO ULPI radio is a tangible step forward for Open RAN hardware, particularly in India. It demonstrates that the ecosystem is expanding beyond a handful of vendors and that domestic innovation can produce carrier-grade products. But it is not a guarantee of success. Operators should welcome the additional choice while applying rigorous due diligence on interoperability, performance, and support. The Open RAN market has been long on promise and short on scale; WiSig’s radio is a test of whether that is changing. For operators planning their next RAN investments, it is a development worth watching closely.

Sources

• IMC 2026: WiSig Networks unveils 5G satellite modem, says Koala-Tag enters production, ETTelecom
• WiSig Networks Launches Made-in-India O-RAN 32TR MIMO Radio Unit at IMC 2026, ETTelecom
• Lekha Wireless Partners with Analog Devices to Revolutionize 5G and 4G RAN Technology at IMC 2026, ETTelecom
• Deutsche Telekom dashes vendor hopes for big mobile uplink bucks, Light Reading
• Jio Deploys 5G Network Slicing Ahead of TRAI Rules, Medianama
• Fujitsu’s 1Finity eyes India expansion as AI, data centre boom drives optical networking demand: Global CEO, Moneycontrol
• Ericsson showcases 5G AI and 6G innovations at IMC 2026, Tele.net