The US government has committed $42 million to further the development of the 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) standard that would allow wireless providers to mix and match cellular hardware and software, opening up a bigger market for third-party equipment that’s cheaper and interoperable.
O-RAN is about establishing interoperability which means companies like Verizon and AT&T wouldn’t be forced to buy all of their hardware from a single company to create a functional network. For the rest of us, that means faster build-outs and “more agile networks,” according to Rakuten.
Well, this is news to me, as I always thought a standard like 5G was an open standard and interoperable between “brands”. A mobile phone has to connect to a 5G network with provider A, and then also when roaming with provider B or C. This is at least true for the client side.
I get that if you want to mesh some Wi-Fi devices in your home, invariably that is normally only achieved with the same brand. So maybe the backhaul part of the 5G network is the same brand that connects with the same brand as well.
Clearly, then, being able to mix and match would dramatically change the ability to innovate and roll out a lot quicker. The same would be even more true for when the provider wants to switch brands going forward, as there is zero vendor lock in.
Which then leads me to ask, so why can’t we mix and match mesh networking with home routers too? The benefit would be even greater for us cash strapped consumers.
See https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/12/24070550/open-ran-standard-us-funding-5g-huawei