Parallel stack operations in a flexible software-defined radio access network architecture and methods for use therewith

Abstract

A radio access network (RAN) system comprises a plurality of capsules that operate in parallel to cooperatively perform RAN stack operations corresponding to a plurality of RAN stacks, each capsule utilizing a processor and a memory configured to perform a corresponding component of the RAN stack operations, wherein the RAN stack operations result in: communicating backhaul communications with a core communications network; communicating fronthaul communications with a plurality of radio units configured to engage in wireless communications with a plurality of user equipment (UEs) via a radio channel of a radio network; converting, in accordance with a communication standard, received fronthaul communications from the plurality of radio units into backhaul communications transmitted to the core communications network; and converting, in accordance with the communication standard, received backhaul communications from the core communications network into fronthaul communications.