Open Test and Integration Center targets O-RAN

A new Open Test and Integration Center (OTIC) initiative was launched by a group of global operators, vendors and integrators with the aim to facilitate OEM and other open source products and solutions to be functionally compliant to the specifications of the O-RAN Alliance, through verification, integration and testing of disaggregated RAN components and to deliver the desired architecture that supports a plug-n-play model.

OITC is led by China Mobile and Reliance Jio with participation from China Telecom, China Unicom, Intel, Radisys, Samsung Electronics, Airspan, Baicells, CertusNet, Mavenir, Lenovo, Ruijie Network, Inspur, Sylincom, WindRiver, ArrayComm, and Chengdu NTS.

The partners have agreed to collaborate on on multi-vendor interoperability and validation activities for realizing O-RAN compliant disaggregated 5G access infrastructure that leverages open software and hardware hardened for commercial deployments.

“O-RAN Alliance is driving RAN innovation to address operational efficiencies, mobile broadband traffic growth, and vertical industry requirements with the necessary flexibility and agility. Its disaggregated architecture focuses on open interfaces, open source software, open hardware reference design, and embedded AI/ML and data analytics. CMCC will initiate an OTIC in Beijing, China, which should provide the common platform for solutions to be operationally ready to enable end-to-end interoperability and deployment in scale; as well as to be hardened for reliability, performance, scalability, and security that operator networks require,” said Dr. Li Zhengmao, EVP of China Mobile.

“Jio has been able to fundamentally disrupt the telecom space, however we realize that disruption and innovation is a continuous process. We are fast-tracking our efforts in 5G and Open technologies by developing and working with OTIC to accelerate the adoption of industry standard, interoperable O-RAN based deployments. Delivering ubiquitous and high-performance solutions to everyone is at the core of everything we do. Working together, O-RAN, SOC providers, Operators, OEMs and solution providers are all important partners in the creation of the Open Wireless Network as a Platform. The OTIC is an important step toward enabling the commercialization of the Open RAN Platform and the new model for wireless networks,” said Mathew Oommen, President, Reliance Jio.

“Intel supports enabling open architectures and a robust ecosystem that will drive innovation at the edge and radio access network. Our support of the OTIC labs will enable development, integration and testing of the O-RAN specifications and accelerate the development of commercial solutions for 5G network deployments,” said Dan McNamara, Senior Vice President Data Center Group, Intel.