Today, Open RAN Policy Coalition Executive Director Diane Rinaldo testified before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in a hearing on “Spectrum and National Security.” Her testimony focused on the need for a sufficient amount of licensed spectrum in the pipeline, in order to deploy more Open RAN and reap its supply chain security benefits.
The journey of the Open RAN movement is a testament to innovation and opportunity based on robust competition in diverse markets. To maintain momentum, we must adopt a holistic approach to countering global market distortions and developing competitive parity for U.S. and allied vendors.
Today, much of our Coalition’s work has been focused on international efforts. As developing nations look to deploy 5G, Open RAN is a viable and desirable option, offering a cost-effective and adaptable solution. And while our education mission at the Coalition is incredibly important to bring heightened awareness to international partners, Coalition members are eager to deploy in the United States. Unfortunately, additional movement in the U.S. has been handicapped due to the expiration of spectrum auction authority. With no new bands in the pipeline for future deployments, Open RAN has limited opportunities to grow further in the United States.
Diane closed out her remarks by noting that continued success is not a given, and urged the Committee to reauthorize spectrum auction authority that will give us the indispensable resource that we need to compete. She also noted that the geopolitical battle for secure networks will not be won between governments; it can only be won by market forces.
A full copy of the testimony is available for download here.