The virtualization of the RAN provides a significant opportunity for IT and cloud vendors, as well as start-ups and specialists, to enter the formerly closed market for mobile networks. When network functions are deployed in software on the cloud, this clearly opens up a new segment for providers of cloud servers, such as Dell and HPE, and cloud software, such as Red Hat, VMware and Wind River. The opportunity has improved since the large network vendors, with the exception of Huawei, have increasingly moved away from developing their own cloud infrastructure, and towards working with the incumbents in the field. The latest such deal is between Ericsson and Dell, and this highlights two important developments in vRAN. One is that,…