Open Networks Key to Secure 5G, More Commenters Tell NTIA

Nearly 50 entities offered advice on a 5G challenge notice of inquiry proposed by NTIA in cooperation with DOD (see 2101080021). NTIA posted comments Tuesday. Most stressed the importance of open radio access networks, as did filings we got last week (see 2102110064). Focus on commercial adoption of an “eventual open source solution,” Google said. A public-private partnership would be “optimal,” Google said: “Industry can interact directly with the NTIA in developing the contest framework, metric and qualitative criteria, and other aspects of the contest. … Industry can provide its assessment of the key obstacles to the NTIA’s and DoD’s objectives.” Pursue development of “open 5G technologies, leading to greater interoperability between government and commercial systems,” said the NASA Glenn Research Center’s Space Communications and Spectrum Management Project Office. “We welcome the opportunity to become part of this conversation, from providing technical advice to evaluating technologies and guiding development,” NASA said. Mandate compliance with the ORAN standard “for all the key interface,” Dell Technologies commented. An open 5G solution could “have deficiencies compared to existing commercial offers that are supplied by a single vendor and not open,” Dell warned: “The Department must also invest in research and development that accelerates the development of 5G infrastructure that utilizes the U.S.’s strengths in silicon, software, and cloud.” Create a lab managed by the Pentagon “where all vendors can bring their components of the open 5G stack for functional and interoperability testing,” Ericsson advised. It sought a "multi-vendor ‘Open Ecosystem Plugfest’" of 5G components. Intel emphasized standards. They “can enable interoperability, while still allowing for product differentiation,” it said: Focus on “openness of interfaces between the various components” rather than “the concept of open-source software,” CableLabs commented. Looking at just the network's wireless components “would ignore the necessary relationships and advancements in adjacent network technologies that will be critical to bringing to fruition the full vision and promise of 5G,” CableLabs said. Proprietary "lock[s] out vendors other than the manufacturer from the network,” said Mavenir: In the U.S., that means “foreign-headquartered companies sell equipment and services from their own company.”