Open RAN vendor Parallel Wireless makes significant staff cuts

Was it due to wrong strategy?

Open RAN vendor Parallel Wireless has laid off a significant number of employees, the company’s CEO told Light Reading.

“We are making adjustments to right size given the realities of global economic conditions, Covid supply chain constrained world, and the pace of adoption of open RAN,” Steve Papa, the company’s chief executive, said on Wednesday.

Parallel Wireless in LinkedIn: Parallel Wireless | LinkedIn

Also:

As part of today’s Parallel Wireless mass layoff, Parallel Wireless Canada was closed and all employees were let go.
After putting so much effort to accelerate the company’s growth and being off to a great start, it is unfortunate to be facing such an outcome.

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Even I faced this pathetic unemployment condition two months back. What company strategy is that, company usually thinks complete the project /assignments as much as much u can by making false commitments in order to complete the assignements and the moment company thinks the work is about to complete, it laid off manpower citing baseless reasons. Nowadays not a single penny company wants to spend on the employee if company didn’t earn a profit from u

It’s really sad to hear the bad news about PW (Parallel Wireless). :cry:

And it’s very disappointing for all the Telecom & IT industry as a whole.

In a moment everyone is excited about 5G/Open RAN, see news like that is a bit “disheartening”.

But it is also a moment we can do something, as Telecom & IT professionals.

First ( immediately) put efforts into supporting the people (employees who lost their jobs).

And next, we must learn with the lessons.

  • What was the issue here?

    • Future forecast, Investor’s money, Company Vision and Management, World scenarios like Covid and War etc.
  • Will this affect Open RAN in the market?

    • How will be the future acceptability and adaptability of Open RAN?
      Is it a hype or a reality in near future?

And finally, we must be prepared for this.

This will happen again!

This is not new, it has happened to almost every (big, medium, small) company, like a “cycle” with Huawei, Nokia, Ericsson etc.

So, the only thing we can do for now is to stand together and help each other, so all employees who lost their jobs can quickly find new positions. :pray:

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The main companies with really standout solutions in the ecosystem will be acquired by big fish (e g. ’ Robin. io, Altiostar, VMware, Cellwize, etc.) …

Most of the startups surfing the hype will probably pivot the model or lower down expectation with a financial recession ahead (need to secure cash flow).

What I think probably will happen is that the narrative will still existing and somehow benefiting companies like Samsung, Rakuten… but is definitely not for everyone.

OpenRAN is lil overrated ahead of time and hyped.

Lot of startups also invested in resources for Open RAN and later will lay off due to lack of returns through new projects or lays off after project is over.