Exploiting O-RAN neutral hosting for first responders connectivity in emergency scenarios

Ensuring seamless connectivity for first responders represents a critical issue in emergency scenarios, where disrupted infrastructures and network congestion can significantly hinder the communication. Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) promises a level of openness in Radio Access Networks (RANs) that could be advantageous under such critical conditions, allowing for enhanced integration across different operators’ networks to mitigate resource scarcity. This paper introduces an architectural solution based on O-RAN that leverages neutral hosting to provide a unified gateway to RAN infrastructures. Our approach facilitates seamless access for emergency responders and optimizes the allocation of resources at both the RAN and Core levels within a specified area by exploiting the deployment of near-real-time Applications (xApps) and non-real-time Applications (rApps) managed by the neutral host. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of O-RAN neutral hosting in enhancing first responders’ connectivity, showcasing significant improvements in throughput and latency, especially under disaster scenarios. • O-RAN Neutral Hosting is a feasible solution for emergency operator connectivity. • First responders seamlessly communicate through efficient radio resource allocation. • O-RAN Neutral Hosting outperforms traditional RAN before and after the disaster. • Slice isolation strategy further amplifies the advantages of O-RAN Neutral Hosting.