Barbados goes open RAN with Parallel Networks, Neptune

The government of Barbados has begun making use of an open RAN network for mission-critical services built by US company Parallel Wireless and by Barbados-based Neptune Communications.

According to the companies, this is the first open RAN compliant 4G LTE solution in the Caribbean.

The companies developed a cloud-native, open standard network solution based on Parallel Wireless's distributed architecture.

The partnership also leverages the recent award of 700MHz spectrum by Barbados to public safety communications services provider Neptune.

According to the companies, the initiative will enable Neptune to expand its mobile network service platform to deliver resilient, next-generation digital services to key agencies of the government of Barbados.

Because these are open standards, the pair also expects to reduce the overall total cost of ownership for the government. 

"It will change the regional landscape for mission-critical communications. In this part of the world public safety/disaster recovery agencies play outsized roles in the face of enormous challenges confronting the region, so enabling them will have a multiplier effect on the region's economic prospects," Neptune CEO Julian Jordan said.