The United States government has announced a $42 million grant for the development of the 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) standard. This standard will enable mobile service providers to mix hardware and software, opening up a larger market for cheaper and compatible equipment provided by third parties. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will allocate the grant to establish an O-RAN testing center in Dallas, which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of this standard and serve as an alternative to the Chinese powerhouse, Huawei.
This grant is a crucial step towards achieving the goals of the O-RAN standard. Telecommunications giants like AT&T and Verizon have formed a consortium called the Acceleration of Compatibility and Commercialization for Open RAN Deployments Consortium (ACCoRD). Many industry leaders, including Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, Dell, Intel, Broadcom, and Rakuten, have joined this consortium. Rakuten, a Japanese mobile network operator, was the first to deploy the O-RAN network. In a conversation with The Verge, Rakuten’s former CEO, Tareq Amin, stated that Open RAN would allow for building low-cost networks using smaller equipment instead of large towers, which has long been a promise of 5G technology. However, the O-RAN standard represents much more – ensuring interoperability means that companies like Verizon and AT&T will not be forced to buy all their equipment from a single supplier to create a functional network. For us, this means faster network development and “more flexible networks,” says Rakuten.
In the United States, the O-RAN project is also being pursued by Dish under the name Project Genesis. However, research conducted by former Verge employee Mitchell Clarke revealed that the Genesis 5G network was inefficient and unstable. Nevertheless, the company announced in June of last year that it had achieved its goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population. Nonetheless, Dish is struggling to become another major mobile service provider in the U.S. As a result, EchoStar, a satellite communication company that split from Dish in 2008, acquired the company in January.
All of this constitutes a unified strategy against Huawei’s dominance in the global market for telecommunications hardware and infrastructure. According to The Washington Post, O-RAN is “Washington’s chosen rival to Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies” as the largest supplier of cellular telecommunications infrastructure. The newspaper emphasizes that President Biden has made O-RAN a priority in discussions with global leaders in recent years, and both Congress and the NTIA have allocated around $2 billion for the development of this standard.
These $42 million are just a small part of the enormous sum allocated to this purpose, but establishing a testing center is a pivotal step in the process of developing the standard. After the establishment of this facility, partners in the ACCoRD consortium will be able to prove that the standard can function and gain the acceptance of other major players worldwide. As reported by The Washington Post, Ericsson and AT&T announced significant investments in December by signing a five-year contract worth $14 billion, which stipulates that most or all of their core equipment will meet O-RAN standards over the next few years.
FAQ section based on the main topics and information presented in the article:
1. What is the 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) standard?
The 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) standard is a standard that enables the mixing of hardware and software by mobile service providers, opening up a larger market for cheaper and compatible equipment provided by third parties.
2. Why is the grant for the development of the 5G Open RAN standard a crucial step?
The $42 million grant for the development of the 5G Open RAN standard is a crucial step because it will enable the establishment of an O-RAN testing center in Dallas, which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of this standard and serve as an alternative to the Chinese powerhouse Huawei.
3. Which companies are involved in the Acceleration of Compatibility and Commercialization for Open RAN Deployments (ACCoRD) consortium?
The ACCoRD consortium includes companies such as AT&T, Verizon, Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, Dell, Intel, Broadcom, and Rakuten. Rakuten was the first to deploy the O-RAN network.
4. What are the benefits of the 5G Open RAN standard?
The 5G Open RAN standard brings benefits such as increased interoperability, allowing companies to build networks using smaller equipment instead of buying it from a single vendor. This shortens the network development time and enables more flexible networks.
5. What is the significance of the O-RAN project pursued by Dish?
Dish is pursuing the O-RAN project under the name Project Genesis. Despite some difficulties and instability, the company announced that it had achieved its goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population. Dish aims to become another major mobile service provider in the U.S.
6. What is the significance of the 5G Open RAN standard for the United States?
The 5G Open RAN standard is part of a unified strategy against the dominance of the Chinese giant Huawei in the global market for telecommunications hardware and infrastructure. The United States government sees this standard as a rival to Huawei and has allocated around $2 billion for its development.
Recommended related links to the main domain:
– National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
– AT&T
– Verizon
– Ericsson
– Nokia
– Samsung
– Dell
– Intel
– Broadcom
– Rakuten
The source of the article is from the blog hashtagsroom.com