The National Institute of Standards and Technology has decided to become part of a nonprofit organization advocating for more open, intelligent and interoperable radio access network technologies.
The O-RAN Alliance is comprised of government agencies, academic institutions, and mobile network operators and vendors working together to reduce the cost and boost the performance of RAN platforms, NIST said.
NIST’s specialization in radio frequency measurements spans more than 100 years. Its initiatives include the Communication Technology Laboratory, which has facilities for optimizing the performance of open-source 5G networks and other wireless systems.
The institute’s own open RAN program focuses on the use of machine learning algorithms and models, and a testbed for open 5G.
“By joining the O-RAN Alliance, NIST will enhance U.S. leadership in wireless technologies and promote stable and diverse supply chains, which are a priority for this administration,” said Laurie Locascio, NIST director and undersecretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. “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.”
