FCC Commissioners Add Questions to ORAN NOI

FCC commissioners approved a notice of inquiry 4-0, asking questions about the future of open radio access networks and how they can help make 5G more secure. Officials told us several questions were added, as expected (see 2103160041), including on affordability for low-income and rural consumers and increasing deployments outside the urban core, as suggested by Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel added questions on competition and smaller market players, as suggested in ex parte filings, officials said.

The ORAN push is gaining steam. Dish Network plans to use ORAN technology in its stand-alone 5G network. Japan’s Rakuten is deploying ORAN, and major carriers, including AT&T and Verizon, are exploring using ORAN in future networks. Federal officials see ORAN as an alternative to using gear from Chinese providers in U.S. networks.

“The RAN is the most restrictive and most expensive part of the network, in part because all of its major components have to come from the same vendor,” Rosenworcel said. “There is no way to mix and match,” she said: “But if we can unlock the RAN and diversify the equipment in this part of our networks, we may be able to increase security, reduce our exposure to any single foreign vendor, lower costs and push the equipment market to where the United States is uniquely skilled -- in software.” The NOI is “overdue,” she said.

Of particular interest is “how Open RAN might benefit our most vulnerable consumers,” Starks said: “Every American should have access to high-quality, affordable broadband service, and I’m interested in learning if and how Open RAN technology can help.”

"It's essentially the wireless version of what Microsoft and Dell did in the PC market,” said Commissioner Brendan Carr. “The central idea is to standardize components of the radio access network and allow them to be built by competing firms, instead of a fully-integrated RAN in one company’s control, while providing a platform on which a variety of different software applications can run.”

The NOI “seeks to inform the commission about the public interest benefits of ORAN networks, including increased network and supply chain security,” said Commissioner Nathan Simington. It's “well-timed considering the urgency of securing the nation’s telecommunications networks.” The FCC must seek answers to critical questions “before the commission takes steps to advance policies that are reliant on ORAN,” he said.

“Open RAN allows disaggregation of the radio access network, which can enable the use of interchangeable technologies that promote network security and public safety,” said an FCC news release: “The FCC is seeking input from academics, industry, and the public on what steps are required to deploy Open RAN networks broadly and at scale.”

“Having a secure and reliable global 5G supply chain is critical, and one of the ways to ensure this is by advancing the adoption of interoperable RAN solutions,” said Joan Marsh, AT&T executive vice president-federal regulatory relations. “Ericsson appreciates the commission’s decision to study network architectures by developing a fact-based record on the current state, and future evolution, of technology,” said Jared Carlson, its North America vice president-public affairs and regulations.

The NOI will encourage “innovation, competition and vendor diversity in the marketplace,” emailed Open RAN Policy Coalition Executive Director Diane Rinaldo.