Wednesday, March 17, 2021

FCC seeks input on O-RAN

The FCC has opened a formal discussion on the opportunities and potential challenges presented by open and virtualized radio access networks, and how the FCC might leverage these concepts to support network security and 5G leadership.  The FCC seeks comment on the current status of development and deployment, whether and how the FCC might foster the success of these technologies, and how to support competitiveness and new entrant access to this emerging market.

The FCC is now seeking comment on the current status of Open RAN development and deployment in networks in the US and abroad.  It asks about the role of established large manufacturers and new entrants in setting standards for this new network architecture.  It seeks input on what steps should be taken by the FCC, federal partners, industry, academia, and others to accelerate the timeline for Open RAN standards development.  Further, it seeks comment on any challenges or other considerations related to the deployment, integration, and testing of systems based on Open RAN specifications.  

The NOI also requests comment on the costs and benefits associated with Open RAN development and deployment.   

https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-comment-open-radio-access-networksx