IS-Wireless accelerates Open RAN integration and UK market entry

Co-delivered by Digital Catapult and Ofcom, SONIC Labs (SmartRAN Open Network Interoperability Centre) is a world-leading innovation programme and R&D facility based in central London. It fosters the emergence of new solutions in the telecom supply chain in the UK, focusing on multi-vendor open, disaggregated and software-centric network products and services.

Combining advanced lab capabilities with proactive technical support, strong ecosystem connections, and alignment with national strategy, SONIC Labs has helped IS-Wireless to validate and enhance its technology, deepen its participation in the Open RAN ecosystem, and significantly raise its profile in the UK market — including an unanticipated deployment with Ofcom.

IS-Wireless faced a combination of technical and market challenges. Most recently, the team wanted to integrate their solution with a new radio vendor, ANTIVIA, on the new radio interface – one of the most complex and demanding aspects of Open RAN interoperability.

IS-Wireless was looking to strengthen its position in the UK market by demonstrating the stability and performance of its solution. Participation in SONIC Labs gave the team access to an advanced multi-vendor environment that was configurable for testing a variety of scenarios and strengthening the robustness of their solution. It also offered them the opportunity to build 

build visibility and credibility with UK operators, integrators, and regulators.

For IS-Wireless, SONIC Labs has offered far more than a technical test environment. It has acted as a proving ground for complex Open RAN integrations, a catalyst for improving stability and performance, and a springboard into the UK market, raising the company’s profile with operators, integrators, and regulators.

Through its participation, IS-Wireless has significantly improved the stability and performance of its solution. The complex integration with a new radio vendor (ANTIVIA) allowed IS-Wireless to:

• Prove its interoperability in a demanding scenario
• Extend the range of supported components and deployment options
• Gain confidence in the resilience and flexibility of its Open RAN implementation

SONIC Labs also organised events and activities designed specifically to connect participants with integrators, operators, and other key Open RAN ecosystem players in the UK. Participation has helped position IS-Wireless as a credible, innovative Open RAN supplier for UK stakeholders. This underscores the commercial and reputational value of engaging with SONIC Labs, which has opened doors and created opportunities beyond IS-Wireless’s original objectives.

IS-Wireless develops is a NATO DIANA 2025 innovator, developing ultra-resilient, secure, and resource-efficient 5G networks for industrial and tactical applications. Their patented Liquid RAN technology represents a new generation of open, disaggregated radio access designed for exceptional reliability, flexibility, and resource efficiency. It enables rapid restoration and redeployment of base stations, even in volatile or degraded environments.

https://www.is-wireless.com/