In the UK, the operator with the least need to deploy Open RAN might seem to be Virgin Media O2, since its mobile arm – formerly Telefónica O2 – had almost no reliance on Huawei equipment in its networks. By contrast, BT EE and Vodafone UK are both engaged in replacing Chinese equipment, which in Vodafone’s case has been one reason for its enthusiasm for Open RAN. A more open ecosystem could usher in a more diverse supply chain and the ability to deploy multivendor networks, Vodafone has argued, and its first commercial Open RAN networks have been rolled out in the UK, in a few rural areas. Ironically though, the operator that is chasing it is not BT –…