Orange weighs Nvidia and Intel for 5G RAN chips before new RFP

TL;DR:

• Orange is evaluating Nvidia and Intel processors for its 5G radio access network before issuing a new request for proposals.
• Orange CTO Laurent Leboucher said the operator is considering a shift from custom silicon to general-purpose processors in the RAN.
• The review reflects broader operator interest in more flexible and software-driven 5G network architectures.

Orange is evaluating Nvidia and Intel for 5G radio access network chips ahead of a new request for proposals, according to comments by group CTO Laurent Leboucher reported by Light Reading. The review centers on whether Orange should move from custom silicon to general-purpose processors in its 5G RAN.

The reported decision point is about chip architecture in the 5G RAN rather than a consumer eSIM product launch. Nvidia and Intel are the named processor suppliers under consideration, and Orange has not announced a final selection in the source material.

The review fits a wider telecom shift toward more open and software-based network designs in 5G infrastructure. In the broader mobile ecosystem, operators are also assessing how network architecture choices affect future service delivery, including eSIM and remote SIM provisioning (RSP, the technology used to download and manage SIM profiles over the air), although the source report focuses on Orange's RAN processor strategy rather than eSIM standards such as SGP.22 or SGP.32.

Related Questions

Is Orange changing its 5G network chip suppliers?

Maybe. Orange is evaluating Nvidia and Intel for 5G RAN processors ahead of a new request for proposals, but the source report does not say Orange has made a final choice.

What is Orange reviewing in its 5G network?

Orange is reviewing whether to use general-purpose processors instead of custom silicon in its 5G radio access network.