Altiostar

Altiostar was a telecommunications technology company focused on open virtual radio access network (vRAN) and cloud-native mobile-network software. Its central proposition was to separate radio access network functions from tightly integrated, proprietary hardware systems and run those functions through virtualized software on more general-purpose infrastructure. By using open interfaces and Ethernet-based connectivity, the company sought to let mobile operators combine radio equipment, computing platforms, and software from multiple suppliers. The company was founded in 2011 by Ashraf Dahod and other former founders of Starent Networks, a networking company acquired by Cisco in 2009. Altiostar initially operated privately and emerged from stealth in late 2014 after raising approximately $70 million in funding from 2012 onward. Its first major offering was a virtualized Cloud-RAN architecture designed to connect radios and controllers through Ethernet rather than traditional dark-fiber arrangements. In 2015, it introduced a virtual RAN product, extending its focus from a particular deployment architecture toward a broader software-defined approach to mobile network construction. Altiostar continued developing an ecosystem around open vRAN. In 2017, it released an Open vRAN Development Platform intended to allow independent radio-equipment manufacturers to build solutions using Altiostar technology. The company worked with semiconductor, networking, radio, systems-integration, and telecommunications partners, including Cisco, Texas Instruments, Qwilt, Wind River, TIM, Corning, Dali Wireless, SK Telecom, Amdocs, Deutsche Telekom, GCI, Sercomm, Telefónica, Vodafone, Qualcomm, Rakuten, the Telecom Infra Project, Ubicquia, Airspan, Bharti Airtel, NEC, and World Wide Technology. Rakuten Mobile became an investor in Altiostar in 2019. When Rakuten commercially launched its 4G mobile network in Japan in 2020, Altiostar software contributed to the network's radio access system, with the companies also planning to use the technology in Rakuten's 5G network. Rakuten acquired Altiostar in August 2021. Following the acquisition, Altiostar's technology and personnel were incorporated into Rakuten's broader Rakuten Symphony network-software organization. As a result, Altiostar is best understood as a former independent company and technology brand whose principal business was absorbed into Rakuten's telecommunications software activities.

Altiostar was established in 2011 by Ashraf Dahod and other former founders of Starent Networks, whose earlier company had been acquired by Cisco in 2009. The new company pursued a different but related networking opportunity: applying software-defined, virtualized architectures to the radio access portion of mobile networks. At the time, radio access networks were commonly delivered as tightly integrated systems in which hardware and software came from a limited number of large suppliers. Altiostar's approach aimed to disaggregate those functions and make them deployable across more flexible computing and networking environments. The company remained largely private during its early development and emerged from stealth in late 2014. It had raised approximately $70 million from 2012 onward by that point. Its initial product direction centered on virtualized Cloud-RAN. Rather than relying on dark fiber to connect radios with controllers, the architecture used Ethernet connectivity, supporting a more software-oriented and potentially more adaptable network design. In 2015, Altiostar introduced a virtual radio access network product, formalizing its focus on vRAN technology. Altiostar's subsequent work emphasized openness and ecosystem participation. In 2017, it released an Open vRAN Development Platform that allowed independent radio-equipment manufacturers to develop vRAN solutions incorporating Altiostar technology. The company collaborated with organizations across the telecommunications value chain. Named partners and collaborators included Cisco; Texas Instruments; Qwilt; Wind River; TIM; Corning; Dali Wireless; SK Telecom; Amdocs; Deutsche Telekom; GCI; Sercomm; Telefónica; Vodafone; Qualcomm; Rakuten; the Telecom Infra Project; Ubicquia; Airspan; Bharti Airtel; NEC; and World Wide Technology. The company reported or was credited with raising a total of approximately $357.5 million from investors and strategic participants including Cisco, Rakuten Mobile, Qualcomm Ventures, Telefónica, and Tech Mahindra, among others. It also received industry recognition, including a 2015 Fierce Innovation Award, a 2016 GLOTEL recognition, a 2017 GSMA GLOMO award for its vRAN solution, inclusion in the 2019 GSMA 100, and placement on the Intel Network Builders Winners' Circle 2019–2020 Leaders Board. Rakuten Mobile invested in Altiostar in 2019. The relationship became strategically important when Rakuten launched its commercial 4G network in Japan in 2020. Altiostar supplied software for the network's 4G radio access system, and Rakuten indicated that the software was also intended to support its 5G network. In August 2021, Rakuten acquired Altiostar. The acquired business was later integrated into Rakuten Symphony, Rakuten's broader organization for telecommunications network software and services. Altiostar therefore no longer operates as an independent company in the form described during its private-company period, although its Open RAN technology and expertise continued within Rakuten's telecommunications portfolio.

• 2021

  Rakuten acquires Altiostar

  [1]Altiostaren.wikipedia.org

  Rakuten acquires the company and later integrates its business into Rakuten Symphony.

• 2020

  Altiostar software contributes to Rakuten's commercial 4G network

  [1]Altiostaren.wikipedia.org

  Rakuten launches commercial 4G service in Japan using Altiostar software in its radio access network.

• 2019

  Rakuten Mobile becomes an investor

  [1]Altiostaren.wikipedia.org

  Rakuten Mobile invests in Altiostar, creating a closer link between the software company and Rakuten's planned mobile-network deployment.

• 2017

  Open vRAN Development Platform released

  [1]Altiostaren.wikipedia.org

  The platform enables independent radio-equipment manufacturers to develop vRAN solutions using Altiostar technology.

• 2015

  Virtual RAN product introduced

  [1]Altiostaren.wikipedia.org

  Altiostar expands from its initial Cloud-RAN offering into a virtual radio access network product.

• 2014

  The company emerges from stealth

  [1]Altiostaren.wikipedia.org

  Altiostar publicly introduces its virtualized Cloud-RAN direction after raising private funding from 2012 onward.

• 2011

  Altiostar is founded

  [1]Altiostaren.wikipedia.org

  Ashraf Dahod and other former Starent Networks founders establish Altiostar to develop software-defined mobile-network technology.

A software-led Open RAN and vRAN technology provider for mobile operators seeking cloud-native architectures, multivendor interoperability, and reduced dependence on vertically integrated network suppliers.

• Mobile-network software

  Virtualized Cloud-RAN solution

  Altiostar's initial major offering used virtualization to place Cloud-RAN functions on software-based infrastructure. A distinguishing feature described for the solution was the use of Ethernet to connect radios with controllers instead of relying on dark fiber. The architecture was intended to support more flexible network deployment and to reduce the dependence on purpose-built, vertically integrated radio-access systems.

• vRAN software · 2015

  Virtual RAN product

  Introduced in 2015, Altiostar's virtual RAN product provided software for virtualized radio access network functions. It formed the foundation of the company's broader Open RAN proposition, in which network software could be separated from selected hardware components and deployed on more general-purpose computing resources.

• Developer platform · 2017

  Open vRAN Development Platform

  Released in 2017, this platform was intended for independent radio-equipment manufacturers developing vRAN products. It provided a way for equipment makers to build solutions around Altiostar technology and supported the company's effort to establish a multivendor ecosystem rather than a single vertically integrated product stack.

• Open RAN software

  Open vRAN solutions

  Altiostar's broader Open vRAN portfolio targeted mobile operators transforming 4G and 5G radio networks. The solutions emphasized cloud-native software, virtualization, open interfaces, and interoperability among equipment from multiple vendors. Rakuten used Altiostar software in its Japanese 4G network and planned to extend the relationship to 5G.

• 2021

  Rakuten acquisition and integrationM&A

  Background

  Rakuten had already invested in Altiostar and was using its software in Rakuten Mobile's network.

  Action taken

  Rakuten acquired Altiostar in August 2021 and incorporated the business into Rakuten Symphony.

  Aftermath

  Altiostar ceased to operate as an independent company, while its Open RAN technology and capabilities continued within Rakuten's telecommunications software organization.

  Source

• 2020

  Software contribution to Rakuten's mobile-network launchStrategy

  Background

  Rakuten Mobile was building a new Japanese mobile network around a highly virtualized and software-led architecture.

  Action taken

  Altiostar supplied software for Rakuten's commercial 4G radio access network, with the technology also planned for the operator's 5G network.

  Aftermath

  The deployment gave Altiostar a prominent commercial reference for its Open vRAN approach and strengthened its strategic relationship with Rakuten.

  Source

• 2017

  Open vRAN ecosystem strategyProduct launch

  Background

  Altiostar sought to broaden the supplier base for radio access networks by enabling independent radio-equipment manufacturers to work with its virtualized network technology.

  Action taken

  The company released an Open vRAN Development Platform for manufacturers developing vRAN solutions.

  Aftermath

  The platform reinforced Altiostar's positioning as an Open RAN software provider and supported collaborations across the radio, semiconductor, cloud, and telecommunications sectors.

  Source

1. 1Altiostaren.wikipedia.org