Media Contact:
Erin Boone, (202) 418-0736
erin.boone@fcc.gov
 
For Immediate Release

Simington Addresses Open RAN Solutions Showcase

WASHINGTON, DC, JULY 14, 2021—Today, Commissioner Nathan Simington made remarks at the Commission’s Open RAN Solutions Showcase.  

Commissioner Simington stated:  

“Open RAN, or ORAN, is, doubtless, an exciting new technology—one that promises scalability and efficiency within network infrastructure marketplace.  Generally, as a consumer, I am excited to be an early adopter or a fast follower of new technologies.

I believe that ORAN holds forth the promise of more secure networks.  A network that includes more commodity hardware and chips means a network that has been more thoroughly audited across industries, rather than purpose-built radio network appliances that are audited by telecom network operators, is a network that is at least potentially more secure.  And as we are poised to transition many critical services to 5G networks, we must reduce every threat to wireless networks that we can.  By offering a new security engineering model to ‘black box’ radio appliances, ORAN can position us to handle threats to critical infrastructure.  My office is deeply engaged in the question of wireless security at the physical layer, and there is little more physical than the actual transistors from which network devices are built.

Then again, ORAN may close a door and open a window.  At the same time as we stand to improve in network security through the greater use of commodity hardware, we risk a reduction in network security by creating new software threats.  Of course, software threats to wireless networks already exist, but ORAN has the potential to cause such threats to proliferate.

As a Commissioner, it is my job to support efforts to deeply investigate, understand, and assess new communications technologies that lie at the heart of potentially vulnerable infrastructure, as ORAN does.  So, I am heartened that the Commission is showcasing new ORAN technologies.  As importantly, this showcase allows network operators planning to participate in the “rip and replace” reimbursement program to hear directly from ORAN vendors with equipment and services that will be available for installation by the January 1st program deadline. 

I believe that there are immense public interest benefits of ORAN-enabled networks, including the potential for increased network and supply chain security and innovative new market entrants.  Today’s showcase allows the industry to better understand the progress of ORAN deployment readiness, by allowing it to observe these new technologies up close.  I am excited to participate in today’s event, and to learn about the new technologies available.


Thank you.”  

Further information about the event may be found at: https://go.usa.gov/xF3xf. 
  
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Office of Commissioner Nathan Simington: (202) 418-2300
www.fcc.gov/about/leadership/nathan-simington