Blog

The Open RAN Policy Coalition today released a new Policy Roadmap, outlining the steps that governments and policymakers can take to accelerate adoption of open standards in the RAN and promote a network ecosystem that is more diverse, competitive and secure. 

The Policy Roadmap is intended as a starting point for discussions between stakeholders. It outlines policy tools applicable to addressing a number of regulatory objectives, including strategies for governments to:

• Support the emergence of new network infrastructure vendors
• Accelerate demand for Open RAN solutions
• Catalyze investment in technical capabilities
• Support operators as they develop an approach to managing a multi-layer network architecture
• Establish the right approach to oversight of multi-vendor network architecture
• Engage with international allies to share experiences and best practices

Case studies based on policies implemented by the Governments of the UK and Japan are … Read More

Open RAN refers to a disaggregated approach to deploying mobile networks by using open and interoperable protocols and interfaces. Our new infographic looks at the differences between traditional and open radio access networks, and how the latter can allow for increased network agility, flexibility, innovation and cost savings. 

Download the PDF… Read More

On September 25, ITI and the Open RAN Policy Coalition hosted a follow-on event to the Prague 5G Security Conference to explore important themes related to 5G development, deployment, and security. The event, Building an Innovative, Competitive, and Secure 5G Ecosystem, brought together industry leaders and policymakers from around the world, including over 100 officials from 36 governments worldwide.

“Following the conclusion of this year’s Prague 5G Security Conference, the need for a global approach to 5G security has never been more apparent,” said Rob Strayer, Executive Vice President of Policy at ITI. “Governments and industry will need to continue to work together in order to securely deploy the next generation of network technology, while also driving innovation. We appreciated the opportunity to host government leaders from around the world and also hear from ITI and ORPC member companies … Read More

Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is hosting a Forum on 5G Open Radio Access Networks. The Open RAN Policy Coalition is pleased to see that a number of our member companies are participating, along with our Executive Director Diane Rinaldo.  The forum, hosted by Chairman Ajit Pai, will feature a range of speakers advocating for next generation wireless services.

Chairman Pai has demonstrated great leadership on 5G and on issues related to the development and deployment of standards-based radio access networks. We commend him for bringing together a group of experts to explain the concept of Open RAN, the benefits of deploying networks with open and interoperable interfaces, and a deep dive into the technology that will drive 5G and advanced wireless networks. 

These conversations are important to have, as they will shape policies that will advance the … Read More

The Open RAN Policy Coalition is excited to welcome nine new companies to its membership. New members include American Tower, Broadcom, GigaTera Communications, Inseego, Ligado Networks, Nvidia, RIFT, Texas Instruments, and Xilinx.

Membership in our coalition now totals 54 global technology companies in support of policies that promote the adoption of open and interoperable solutions in the Radio Access Network (RAN).

Open RAN technology allows wireless networks to be deployed with a more modular design and without being dependent on a single vendor. This will spur competition, increase diversity in the supply chain for 5G and other advanced wireless technologies, and continue to drive innovation as new players enter the market.

New members are welcomed by Open RAN Policy Coalition members Airspan, Altiostar, AT&T, AWS, Ciena, Cisco, Cohere Technologies, CommScope, Crown Castle, DeepSig, Dell Technologies, DISH Network, Facebook, Fujitsu, Google, … Read More

The Open RAN Policy Coalition submitted comments in response to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) request for recommendations from stakeholders for developing the Administration’s Implementation Plan for the National Strategy to Secure 5G.

The Coalition believes that there are a variety of steps that policymakers can take to facilitate a vibrant marketplace of suppliers and increased adoption of new innovation based upon open interfaces.  In order to nurture this technological approach and accelerate stable, sustainable, and successful advances, the Coalition promotes initiatives and policy priorities that (1) support new and existing innovative technology suppliers that are implementing these open interfaces, as well as small and large network operators, (2) help create a competitive global ecosystem of diverse trusted suppliers and service providers, and (3) build and maintain U.S. and allies’ technological leadership both in 5G and future wireless … Read More

Today, the Open RAN Policy Coalition released two new papers on secure open interfaces and open RAN specifications and deployments.

The first paper, “5G and Open RAN Security: Next Generation Trust,” addresses one of the common misconceptions about an open RAN: that open interfaces introduce security risk. In fact, these same open interfaces, defined in technical specifications, provide a foundation and architecture for improving security.  Although operators procure and integrate open RAN network functions in new ways, operators bring the same expertise, diligence and requirements for security and resilience to these environments.

The second, “Open RAN Specifications and Deployment Status,” details how open RAN specifications allow innovative companies to develop products, software solutions and reference designs in a diverse and competitive global market.  While global standards are important to create opportunities for interoperability of scalable … Read More

Welcome to the Open RAN Policy Coalition blog.  Earlier this year, several of our member companies came together as an ad hoc group, to advocate for government policies supporting the development and adoption of open and interoperable solutions in the Radio Access Network.  We have grown since then and are excited to officially launch today with 31 global technology companies as members.

The unifying principle for our membership is the belief that by “opening” the protocols and interfaces between the various subcomponents (radios, hardware and software) in the RAN, we will move to an environment where networks can be deployed with a more modular design, and without being dependent upon a single vendor. 

We believe that open interfaces will help ensure interoperability across different players in the ecosystem and lower the barrier to entry for new innovators. 

Of course, there … Read More