Round Rock and Littleton – Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) and DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) have formed a strategic infrastructure agreement to support DISH’s launch of the United States’ first cloud-native, Open RAN-based 5G network. The companies are reimagining how 5G RAN networks are built and deployed with an ecosystem of partners, technologies and Dell’s open infrastructure foundation.

DISH is developing its open, cloud-native 5G network from the ground up. Dell Technologies will provide DISH’s edge network infrastructure foundation, powering devices, software and solutions to help customers tap into the connectivity and business opportunities made possible by the combination of 5G and edge computing.

“By collaborating with Dell Technologies, we will have the hardware and software infrastructure needed to harness the power and potential of 5G. Dell’s open ecosystem approach will help us scale our RAN network with agility, speed and consistency, bringing about new business opportunities for both enterprise customers and consumers, completing our cloud strategy,” said Marc Rouanne, DISH chief network officer. “We chose to leverage Dell’s technology because they have a demonstrated track record of transforming networks and a willingness to work with us on designing and implementing Infrastructure as Code (IaC). With their help, we’re another step closer to deploying the United States’ first cloud-native, Open RAN 5G network.”

Using Dell Technologies’ security software and global supply chain, DISH will deploy Dell open hardware and software infrastructure for its 5G network that will connect millions of people and power 5G and edge use cases in industries across healthcare, education, government, retail, manufacturing, banking and beyond. With Dell’s zero-touch provisioning and deployment of containerized RAN network functions, DISH can simplify and automate deployment of software and services across geographic locations.

“DISH is breaking new ground by building a cloud-native 5G network designed for a future where edge computing and new 5G use cases collide in ways we haven’t thought of yet,” said Dennis Hoffman, senior vice president and general manager, Dell Technologies Telecom Systems Business. “We will put our decades of digital transformation experience to work to help simplify and automate the rapid deployment of DISH’s 5G RAN and edge network."

Through the agreement:

• Dell and DISH are creating private 5G wireless network solutions, software-defined wide area networks and multi-access edge cloud platforms. Aimed at providing value to a wide range of industries, the companies are working together on a go-to-market strategy to deliver seamless, simple solutions to drive value for customers at the edge.
• The companies will co-develop technology for Open RAN, SmartNICs, emerging micro-edge colocation, operational automation and other areas of R&D. Joint teams will pursue and create multi-access edge computing (MEC) solutions for enterprise and small business opportunities.
• Dell and DISH will enable advanced machine learning capabilities to monitor the health of the system and to help proactively predict the anomalies that may impact performance or services. Dell and DISH will design the network infrastructure from cell sites to data centers to deliver better performance, power efficiency and automated operations.
• DISH will deploy Dell EMC PowerEdge servers at cell tower sites and in centralized RAN locations to tackle the growing demands of edge-based, data-intensive workloads. Designed to thrive in harsh environments, DISH will use Dell EMC PowerEdge XR11 ruggedized servers to support its private cloud and far edge applications. DISH will also use Dell EMC PowerEdge R740 and R750 servers to support virtualization and demanding cloud-native workloads. Dell platforms also futureproof DISH for next generation RAN compute requirements, allowing DISH to support additional accelerators cards.
• With Dell Technologies APEX Flex On Demand, DISH can scale its server usage up and down while only paying for what they use1. Dell will deliver systems to the edge with factory integration, while services and support professionals will help ensure efficient deployment and lifecycle management.
• Dell and DISH are establishing advanced technology collaboration teams to identify and develop future technologies and investment opportunities. The companies will collaborate on the roadmap and silicon diversity for 5G RAN and edge infrastructure focusing on improvements of cost-to-serve, performance density, operational reliability and power consumption of telecom equipment in the 5G network. 
• DISH and Dell are teaming to develop and market solutions. For example, the companies are designing and certifying Dell 5G-enabled laptops with DISH connectivity options to bring 5G to more people and places. The companies will offer device management and eSIM provisioning capabilities, so customers can activate service without a physical SIM card on both private and shared networks, all within a “pay for what they use” model.