As the industry looks toward new deployment models, including emerging non-terrestrial networks, there is increasing focus on how small cell products, components and interfaces can evolve to support flexible and interoperable architectures for a wider range of use cases.   

For Vicky Messer, VP Product Management at RANsemi and Co-Chair of SCF’s Products, Components and Solutions Working Group, this means helping bring the ecosystem together to define practical guidance that complements standards activity and supports real deployment needs. The group achieves this by shaping technical materials in areas such as product architectures, interface requirements and early guidance for 5G solutions. 

As well as serving on the SCF Board, Vicky has contributed to several publications, including co-editing SCF’s recent report, Small Cells and Non-Terrestrial Networks: Common Challenges and Common Solutions, which examines how established small cell design principles can support regenerative satellite systems and broader 5G NTN development. 

Q&A with Vicky Messer  

How would you describe the current focus of the Products, Components and Solutions Working Group? 

“The aim is to bring together industry perspectives and produce recommendations that are both practical and technically sound.” 

“Over the last few years, the working group has looked at the areas where clear guidance can support viable and efficient 5G product definitions for evolving deployments such as terrestrial 5G FR1 and FR2 (mmWave) small cells and recently 5G NTN. That includes proposing architectures and open interfaces including 3GPP and SCF FAPI to meet the requirements for the use case under study.  

“In the case of the recent non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) study the focus was on what was common to small cells and also what were new challenges. For example looking at additional requirements for space qualified components and potential use of COTS components for LEO satellites. Next steps include adding NTN to FAPI v11, and further exploration of sharing models such as neutral host and dual use network slicing, and extension of the DARTs (Disaggregated RAN Transport Study) tool.” 

You recently co-edited SCF’s new report on small cells and NTNs. What does the paper aim to address? 

“The report looks at the shared challenges between terrestrial small cell systems and emerging 5G NTN architectures. Although satellites and terrestrial networks operate in different environments, they face similar constraints around SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) requirements, integration and the need for modularity. The paper shows how small cell design principles and open interfaces can support regenerative satellite payloads, simplify integration and help vendors and operators progress towards interoperable 5G NTN deployments. It has been a very collaborative effort across the Working Group.” 

Why is RANsemi involved in this area of work within SCF? 

“RANsemi develops Open RAN standard-compliant baseband SoCs and carrier-grade software, so having consistent interfaces with stack vendors is important for us. That is why we have supported the evolution of the 5G FAPI specification. SCF provides the environment to collaborate on these topics and ensure that specifications evolve in a way that supports the whole ecosystem.” 

What perspective and specific insight do you bring to the Working Group? 

“In product management you need to understand architectures and requirements, and how they translate into real products. That is why I enjoy contributing to the working group and most recently the NTN and small cells work item. The discussions help ensure our outputs reflect technical innovation while remaining grounded in what is needed for deployment.” 

What do you value most about being part of SCF? 

“As a member you have the opportunity to work with industry experts and develop an interest area into a work item. The team, chaired by Prabhakar Chitrapu, is collaborative and inclusive, and has encouraged me to take on co-editing roles. The professionalism across the Forum makes it possible to work effectively, even with organisations that may otherwise be competitors.” 

SCF’s perspective 

Prabhakar Chitrapu, SCF Chair and Lead of the Regulation & Policy Group, welcomed Vicky’s appointment: 

“Vicky brings valuable product and architecture insight to the Forum’s work. Her inclusive style of leadership has worked well for this item and is welcomed by the group. The new NTN report reflects the group’s commitment to producing material that helps the industry tackle emerging challenges. She has played an important role in several work items and continues to support the development of clear and practical guidance for the ecosystem.”