The MoU establishes a joint process to identify O-RAN specifications for adoption by ATIS. This transposition is  a major step toward advancing the adoption of Open Radio Access Network (RAN) in North America, by giving O-RAN ALLIANCE specifications the benefit of recognition by ATIS, an accredited standards body with broad membership from North American industry. It furthers both organizations’ mutual objectives to advance the industry towards more intelligent, open, virtualized and global standards-compliant mobile networks. The agreement announced today builds on an earlier MoU between the parties that addressed cooperation on Open RAN issues, including Open RAN security as well as stakeholder requirements for Open RAN. It emphasizes ATIS’ commitment to creating innovative standards for mobile networks that leverage the latest technical and architectural advances.

“ATIS members both from industry and government sectors are highly aligned on the importance of Open RAN in creating an ecosystem of trusted suppliers that can deliver capable and cost-effective mobile network platforms,” said ATIS President and CEO Susan Miller. ”The MoU with O-RAN ALLIANCE gives the combined weight of both organizations to a common technical basis for interoperability in the Open RAN market. It complements the ATIS work on the Open RAN Minimum Viable Profile to create comprehensive and recognized Open RAN standards and best practices for the North American market.”

“O-RAN ALLIANCE specifications set the global foundation for open, intelligent, virtualized and interoperable Radio Access Networks, building on common RAN standards,” said Abdurazak Mudesir, Chair of the Board of O-RAN ALLIANCE and Group CTO, Deutsche Telekom. “O-RAN ALLIANCE welcomes ATIS’ transposition of O-RAN specifications to ATIS standards. The MoU ensures technical alignment and supports mutual efforts to enable a truly open RAN ecosystem. North America comes as another region adopting O-RAN specifications and we remain open to similar arrangements with standards authorities in other regions.”