Vodafone & Cirrus360 Debut AI Platform to Speed Up Open RAN Deployment

RICHARDSON, TX – February 27, 2026 – In a significant move to accelerate the adoption of next-generation wireless networks, Cirrus360 and Vodafone have unveiled an innovative AI-powered platform designed to predict and prevent network failures before they happen. The demonstration showcases a "Declarative Digital Twin" system that promises to revolutionize the complex and costly process of integrating and testing Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment, particularly within the burgeoning Open RAN ecosystem.

The new cloud-based system, named the Gabriel™ platform, leverages AI Reasoning to create a virtual replica of a physical mobile network site. This allows engineers to simulate performance, identify potential hardware bottlenecks, and optimize software configurations in a virtual environment, dramatically reducing lab time and speeding up deployment of 5G and future 6G technologies. The collaboration, supported by a strategic grant from the U.S. government, marks a critical step toward building more efficient, flexible, and cost-effective mobile networks.

A 'Crystal Ball' for 5G Networks

At the heart of the breakthrough is Cirrus360's novel approach to digital twin technology. Traditional digital twins act as a mirror, reflecting a physical system's current state. The Gabriel™ platform, however, is a declarative and predictive model. Instead of being rigidly programmed on how a system operates, it uses high-level rules to understand what the system is supposed to achieve. This allows the AI to not only model the present but also to reason about future states.

This "AI Reasoning" capability acts as a virtual crystal ball for network engineers. It can analyze countless variables—from hardware specifications to software protocols—to predict how a network will behave under different conditions and workloads. By simulating future performance, the platform can flag potential system failures, such as memory overloads, cache limits, or CPU bottlenecks, before any physical hardware is deployed. This proactive approach shifts network testing from a reactive, problem-solving exercise to a proactive, optimization-focused strategy.

"Our Declarative Digital Twin methodology, in conjunction with AI Reasoning in Cirrus360's cloud-based Gabriel™ platform, acts as a RAN testing specific AI assistant for system integrators," said Cirrus360 co-founder and CEO Chaitali Sengupta.

A key enabler of this technology is the RAN Domain Specific Language (RDSL™), a specialized framework developed by Cirrus360 with initial sponsorship from the Telecom Infra Project. In a multi-vendor Open RAN environment—where software and hardware from different companies must work together seamlessly—RDSL™ acts as a universal translator. It abstracts the complex interactions between components, allowing the AI to understand and optimize the entire system, ensuring software is perfectly synced with the underlying silicon chips and other hardware.

The Power Trio Driving Open RAN Innovation

This technological leap is amplified by the strategic alignment of a disruptive innovator (Cirrus360), a global telecom giant (Vodafone), and significant government backing. This "power trio" exemplifies the collaborative ecosystem required to overcome the hurdles of Open RAN deployment and secure future wireless supply chains.

Vodafone, which has committed to having 30% of its European masts based on Open RAN by 2030, sees this platform as a crucial tool for achieving its goals. For the operator, the ability to rapidly test and validate equipment from a diverse range of suppliers is paramount. The Gabriel™ platform provides an integration and testing framework that de-risks this process.

"We are building an integration and testing framework that will expedite testing and deployment readiness of new innovations in RAN silicon and AI driven features," stated Kyriakos Exadaktylos, Head of OpenRAN at Vodafone. "What's exciting about the Declarative Digital Twin approach is how it utilizes AI Reasoning to accelerate the progression and effectiveness of in-lab testing of RAN solutions."

The project's development was bolstered by funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund. This $1.5 billion fund was established to foster competition, lower costs, and strengthen the resilience of the 5G supply chain by promoting open and interoperable network solutions. By investing in advanced testing methodologies, the NTIA aims to accelerate the path to market for secure, multi-vendor networks, reducing reliance on a small number of dominant, and sometimes high-risk, suppliers.

"NTIA's Innovation Fund was designed to advance the deployment of open and interoperable equipment and networks, and we are eager to see how this AI-powered Vodafone and Cirrus360 partnership can more drive open RAN solutions to market quickly and effectively," commented Amanda Toman, Director of NTIA's Innovation Fund.

The Business Case for Predictive Testing

Beyond the technical elegance and strategic importance, the platform presents a compelling business case for network operators. The process of integrating, testing, and tuning RAN components is traditionally one of the most time-consuming and expensive stages of network deployment. Industry analysts estimate that Open RAN can reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) by 20-30%, but achieving these savings depends on efficient integration.

Cirrus360's predictive approach directly targets these costs. By identifying issues in a virtual environment, operators can avoid expensive physical reworks, reduce the need for extensive lab equipment, and slash the man-hours required for validation. Engineers who might typically test six to eight different physical RAN configurations can now simulate them far more rapidly, freeing them to focus on higher-value tasks. This compression of the validation timeline translates directly into faster time-to-market for new services and a quicker return on investment.

While established testing companies like Keysight, VIAVI Solutions, and Spirent provide essential tools for validating conformance and interoperability, their methods are largely focused on testing systems that have already been integrated. Cirrus360 positions its platform as a complementary layer of intelligence that operates before and during this process. It doesn't just find faults; it predicts and prevents them, optimizing resource usage and ensuring that the disparate parts of an Open RAN network perform as a cohesive and efficient whole.

This partnership between Cirrus360 and Vodafone, backed by a forward-looking government initiative, provides a clear blueprint for the future of network deployment. By embracing AI-driven predictive analytics, the telecommunications industry is poised to unlock the full potential of Open RAN, paving the way for a more innovative, competitive, and secure wireless future.