ATIS inks deal with the O-RAN Alliance to boost cooperation

Under the terms of the MoU, ATIS and the O-RAN Alliance will collaborate on advancing the state-of-the-art of open radio access network

The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) said it has executed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the O-RAN Alliance to expand collaboration between the two entities, the former said in a statement.

Under the terms of the MoU, ATIS and the O-RAN Alliance will collaborate on advancing the state-of-the-art of open Radio Access Networks, including Open RAN security and stakeholder requirements for Open RAN. It also addresses the opportunity for ATIS translation of O-RAN Alliance specifications to Open RAN standards to advance the adoption of Open RAN in North America.

“This agreement with the O-RAN Alliance brings the power of ATIS’ 3GPP leadership and its contributions to the continued evolution of 5G, coupled with ATIS’ leadership for 6G and beyond as part of its Next G Alliance, to advance the development of Open RAN technologies,” said ATIS President and CEO Susan Miller. “The MoU combines the forces of ATIS and the O-RAN Alliance to connect the present to the future for the O-RAN ecosystem, advancing the promise of a robust O-RAN marketplace,” Miller added.

“Continuing the work toward open radio access networks is critical in unlocking the full potential of 5G in North America and will lay the foundation for future generations of wireless technology,” said Igal Elbaz, chair of ATIS’ board of directors and network CTO of AT&T. “ATIS and the O-RAN Alliance combining their expertise and resources and ATIS’ adoption of O-RAN specifications to ATIS O-RAN standards will help accelerate the industry’s implementation of O-RAN.”

The MoU also addresses participation, by invitation, in meetings of each other’s working groups where appropriate, and promoting and endorsing each other’s events (e.g., conferences and plugfests) or activities (e.g., publication of work results) in areas of mutual interest and with prior consent of the other party.

ATIS is currently working to secure the U.S. leadership in the 6G field through the Next G Alliance, which is an initiative to advance North American wireless technology leadership over the next decade, through private-sector-led efforts with the initial focus on as-yet-unstandardized 6G systems.

In August of last year, ATIS’ Next G Alliance and Europe’s 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to exchange information regarding their work programs in areas of “mutual interest” in the field of future 6G communication systems and networks.

The Next G Alliance said that the agreement also covers collaboration on joint activities, including workshops, seminars, webinars and trials on 6G-related topics.

ATIS’ Next G Alliance and Japan’s Beyond 5G Promotion Consortium (B5GPC) had also signed a MoU to cooperate on future 6G wireless networks.

The agreement stipulates how the two organizations may exchange information and publications related to 6G wireless networks. It also covers how they may engage in collaborative research and development projects including jointly organizing international communication and exchange events and establishing and implementing cooperative joint projects and programs.

In December of 2021, ATIS’ Next G Alliance and the 5G Forum in Korea had signed a MoU to boost cooperation in next-generation mobile communications.