The RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) is perhaps the most original and potentially disruptive element of the O-RAN Alliance architecture, since it abstracts the management and control of the RAN from the base stations themselves and allows these hugely important functions to be supplied by third parties via an open platform supporting xApps and rApps from many providers. Some vendors, such as Juniper, aim to provide the platform, in order to establish themselves in a key seat of power in terms of RAN strategy. Other vendors, and some operators, such as BT, aim to develop xApps, arguing that the platform itself will be commoditized and the real innovation will happen in individual applications. Amdocs is one software vendor that was originally…