Ligado Networks, which plans to use satellites to deliver broadband, joined the Open RAN Policy Coalition, a new organization advocating for technology that will boost competition and innovation in how wireless networks are built. Some of the coalition’s goals are to enable operators to build networks at lower costs and update their infrastructure more quickly.
Already being deployed by major wireless carriers worldwide, Open RAN technology uses secure software and ready-to-use hardware from a range of suppliers to give wireless carriers more flexibility in choosing the right radio access network vendor for their needs. Ligado says this flexibility is a crucial component of its plans to build and deploy new 5G networks for enterprise customers in critical U.S. industries like transportation, manufacturing, energy and health care. The coalition is designed to promote policy priorities that facilitate the further growth and emergence of this technology.
“Ligado is proud to stand with our colleagues in the wireless industry in support of this more modern approach to wireless networking,” said Ligado CTO Maqbool Aliani. “This technology ensures that carriers can use the right vendor for the job, which helps diversify our ecosystem, drive innovation, and increase resiliency.”
Open RAN will help drive U.S. leadership in 5G and advance national security – two of Ligado’s core goals – by bringing new U.S. vendors into the mix and enabling American alternatives to Huawei, according to Aliani.
Formed in May, the Open RAN Policy Coalition now boasts more than 50 members, including some of the most prominent names in U.S. technology and telecommunications. “Open RAN Policy Coalition members believe open interfaces create innovation, spur competition and expand the supply chain for advanced wireless technologies including 5G,” Coalition Executive Director Diane Rinaldo said. “That our membership reflects a diverse group of forward-thinking companies illustrates how powerful Open RAN can be for innovation, and we’re excited to have Ligado join our growing ranks.”
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