SoftBank's AI-RAN, 30% faster uplink speed on actual network, advances toward commercial deployment.
On August 21, 2025, Softbank announced that it has developed a new AI architecture for RAN (Radio Access Network) and demonstrated that it can significantly improve the performance of 5G communications. As part of the company's "AI for RAN" research, AI-RAN live net...
2025/09/22
Posted on 2025/09/22
Softbank announced on August 21, 2025, that it has developed a new AI architecture for RANs (radio access networks) and demonstrated that it can significantly improve the performance of 5G communications. This is part of the company's "AI for RAN" research and is an important step toward the practical application of AI-RAN in live networks.
The newly developed architecture utilizes a high-performance AI model called "Transformer. Compared to conventional systems, it is characterized by its ability to capture complex patterns of radio wave reflections and interference, and to predict radio wave conditions more precisely. It also has a unique design that preserves physical characteristics such as signal strength, making it versatile enough to be applied to a variety of communication processes.
Tests using an actual network showed that uplink communication speeds were approximately 30% faster and data processing delays were reduced to less than one millisecond. The simulation also confirmed the effect of up to 31% improvement in downstream communication speed (on a terminal moving at 40 km/h).
SoftBank explained that this achievement "achieved both high performance and low latency, which was difficult to achieve in the past. The company plans to accelerate efforts toward commercialization.
