The US Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has joined the O-RAN Alliance.
“By joining the O-RAN Alliance, NIST will enhance US leadership in wireless technologies and promote stable and diverse supply chains, which are a priority for this administration,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio.
“NIST will also promote open and transparent standards for 5G and other next-generation wireless technologies to help ensure data privacy and protect against cyber threats.”
The O-RAN Alliance aims to support the adoption of Open RAN (Open Radio Access Network) technology.
Open RAN aims to increase the diversity of equipment available to operators to drive innovation, lower costs, and improve security. The equipment is based on interoperable standards to help new players enter the market and break up the relative monopoly held by a few large companies.
NIST has a program dedicated to Open RAN and a lab with advanced measurement facilities including anechoic and reverberation chambers, robotic antenna systems, and testbeds for optimising open-source 5G and other wireless systems.
The expertise and facilities that NIST brings to the O-RAN Alliance will prove invaluable to advancing Open RAN.
“NIST has unique capabilities for measuring the performance, security and interoperability of Open RAN systems,” adds Locascio.
“By participating in this alliance, NIST will help the community bring these standards to market more quickly.”
(Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash)
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