New Open RAN Laboratory set for the Philippines
VIAVI Solutions has secured a second US Government grant to build an Open RAN laboratory. The new lab, a flagship initiative between the United States and the Philippines, will be housed at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Electronics and Electrical Engineering Institute (EEEI) in Quezon City, Metro Manila.
Based on Viavi’s Automated Lab-as-a-Service (VALOR), recently launched in Chandler, Arizona, the Open RAN Interoperability Laboratory aims to comprehensively address the availability, affordability, and accessibility of testing and evaluation of Open RAN networks.
The new lab will mirror the reference architecture from VALOR and feature several of the same vendors as its US counterpart, including Fujitsu and SOLiD. VIAVI’s Wireless Open RAN Test Suite (NITRO) will carry out end-to-end product validation by connecting testing and service activation data from instruments with software-based planning, provisioning, assurance, and optimization probes and applications on its real-time intelligence platform.
The solution will provide User Equipment (UE) and Radio Unit (RU) emulation, spectrum analysis and drive/walk testing. VIAVI’s Automation Management and Orchestration System (VAMOS) will carry out test orchestration, analysis, validation, and reporting.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding the work through the Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON) Project, a collaborative effort involving the U.S. government, Philippine authorities, and private sector partners. Launched in October 2021, the five year $33 million initiative aims to enhance digital connectivity and economic growth in the country.
The project will also involve another USAID funded project, the Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA), established to address the knowledge gap that acts as a barrier to Open RAN adoption. The goal of the academy is to equip the local telecom industry with the skilled workforce needed to test and deploy open network architectures.
Commenting on the launch of the new lab, USAID Philippines Director of the Office of Economic Development and Governance Amy Lovejoy said: “By promoting open architecture, we foster innovation, empower local operators, drive competition, and ultimately expand life-changing digital access for the Filipino people, fulfilling President Biden’s and President Marcos’ shared vision of a prosperous, secure Indo-Pacific region.”
