RWA Members Nervous on ORAN Before Big Deployment

Rural Wireless Association officials told an FCC Public Safety Bureau staffer that smaller carriers are reluctant to install open radio access network technology as part of the agency’s rip-and-replace program. “RWA’s carrier members were optimistic about Open RAN’s potential for lower costs, increased security, and network visibility, but expressed reservations toward adopting Open RAN for the Reimbursement Program when none of the three nationwide providers -- AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon -- have adopted,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 21-63: “Absent major carrier adoption (and FCC support for Open RAN via a rulemaking), small and rural carriers cannot afford to expend human and capital resources to learn how to fully integrate Open RAN.” RWA warned carriers will need to shut parts of their Huawei and ZTE-equipped networks during testing. Jerry Tilley, Nemont chief operations officer, and John Nettles, Pine Belt Communications president, were on the call.