Arrcus and OpenGlobe are partnering with Brazil’s National Education and Research Network (RNP) to deploy a programmable IP backbone for OpenRAN@Brasil, a national-scale research, development, and innovation program focused on open and disaggregated radio access networks. The initiative extends RNP’s research and education backbone across all five regions of Brazil, connecting universities and scientific institutions while modernizing the existing MPLS architecture with SRv6 and other next-generation protocols. The goal is to create a live, nationwide testbed where startups, researchers, and academia can validate new telecom technologies at lower cost than legacy proprietary infrastructures.
At the core of the deployment, OpenGlobe is supplying and integrating Arrcus-powered whitebox routers running ArcOS, an open, programmable, disaggregated network operating system. RNP will operate a single NOS across multiple hardware platforms for cell-site and edge routing, aggregation, and provider-edge deployments, reducing operational complexity and easing migration from legacy systems. The solution supports a broad protocol stack—MPLS, SR-MPLS, SRv6, EVPN, and L2/L3 VPN—plus precision timing and synchronization (PTP/SyncE/Grandmaster) to ensure multi-vendor interoperability for mobile core transport and RAN backhaul, while positioning the network for future AI integration.
The architecture enables secure VPNs, QoS, and traffic segmentation for distributed, real-time research across cloud and edge domains. OpenRAN@Brasil aims to provide secure, high-performance connectivity for research and education environments nationwide; support large-scale experimentation with open RAN and advanced mobile technologies; and accelerate Brazil’s role as a global contributor to the evolution of 5G, pre-6G, and 6G networks. By unifying the NOS and embracing open networking principles, RNP expects to simplify operations, lower training and reconfiguration overheads, and scale to multi-terabit capacities while deepening public-private collaboration and nurturing local talent.
• OpenRAN@Brasil becomes Brazil’s largest R&D and innovation program dedicated to open and disaggregated RAN.
• RNP extends its nationwide research and education backbone across all five regions of Brazil for universities and scientific institutions.
• The initiative upgrades RNP’s MPLS architecture with SRv6 and other advanced IP protocols to support next-generation mobile transport.
• Arrcus supplies ArcOS, an open, programmable, disaggregated NOS running across a range of whitebox routing platforms.
• OpenGlobe delivers and integrates Arrcus-powered routers, providing local execution from its Brazilian subsidiary and U.S. headquarters.
• The infrastructure supports MPLS, SR-MPLS, SRv6, EVPN, and L2/L3 VPNs, plus precision timing (PTP/SyncE/Grandmaster) for mobile core and RAN backhaul.
• Unified NOS operations aim to reduce operational overhead, simplify training, and accelerate network reconfiguration at national scale.
• The platform targets use cases including cell-site and edge routing, aggregation, provider edge, and distributed research and education services.
• AI-ready programmability and orchestration support future AI-driven management, analytics, and service automation across the network.
• The initiative provides a live, national testbed for startups, researchers, and academic institutions to validate telecom innovation from 5G through 6G.
“At Arrcus, our mission is to enable open, scalable, and AI-powered networks that unlock innovation everywhere,” said Shekar Ayyar, Chairman and CEO of Arrcus. “Collaborating with OpenGlobe and RNP Brazil on the OpenRAN@Brasil initiative is a significant milestone. Together, we are creating a world-class platform for researchers and institutions across Brazil while demonstrating how open and disaggregated networks can transform connectivity globally.”
🌐 Analysis
This collaboration underscores how open networking software and whitebox routing are moving from proofs-of-concept into national-scale research and education infrastructures, particularly for Open RAN and 5G/6G transport. For Arrcus and OpenGlobe, the OpenRAN@Brasil deployment adds a high-visibility reference alongside broader industry efforts to build open, AI-ready mobile backbones, while putting RNP’s testbed on the map alongside international initiatives in open RAN and disaggregated transport networks.
