Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel Proposes Open RAN Notice of Inquiry

FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared with her colleagues a proposal to open a formal discussion on Open Radio Access Networks—sometimes called Open RAN—the opportunities they present, and what the FCC should be doing to promote the concept. If adopted at the FCC’s March 17 Open Meeting, this Notice of Inquiry would seek comment on the current status of Open RAN development and deployment, whether and how the FCC might foster its success, and how to support competitiveness and new entrant access to this emerging market. The Notice of Inquiry, if adopted, would seek comment on the current status of Open RAN development and deployment in American networks and abroad. It asks about the role of established large manufacturers and of new entrants in setting standards for this new network architecture. It seeks input on what steps should be taken by the FCC, federal partners, industry, academia, or others to accelerate the timeline for Open RAN standards development. Further, it seeks comment on any challenges or other considerations related to the deployment, integration, and testing of systems based on Open RAN specifications. The NOI also requests comment on the costs and benefits associated with Open RAN development and deployment.