Supply chain diversity is an increasingly critical infrastructure key success factor for country independence, however complicated industry re-architecting is. Government funding is available to help with the first wave of this educational shift.
Government funding initiatives are stepping in to become the primary drivers to accelerate Open RAN adoption and establish a diverse radio ecosystem. Initiatives like the NEDO program in Japan and the NTIA NOFO programs in the US are driving proof-of-concept (POC) trials with operators to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of Open RAN solutions. These projects are not a case of throwing money at a problem; they are a forward-looking investment in telecoms' futures, making them more competitive, secure, and innovative networks. However, government funding is just one piece of the puzzle. Successful Open RAN deployments also hinge on robust radio certification testing, the cultivation of strong local suppliers, and the ability to adapt solutions to specific regional variants.
The US, UK, and Japanese governments are setting the pace in encouraging the uptake of Open RAN and radio ecosystem expansion. Still, it is an “every country” problem, and leading countries are helping others start with grants. Governments view Open RAN as a way to deliver competition, enhance security, and stimulate innovation in the telecommunications sector. They invest in research and development, simplify open standards, and drive operators to introduce Open RAN solutions.
The NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration) has launched several NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) programs in the United States to drive Open RAN forward. These programs, often backed by the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, provide grants to operators and vendors to deploy and trial Open RAN solutions. Funding levels differ by program and size of the projects, but collectively, they are a substantial investment in Open RAN. Among their goals, these programs have established targets for greater vendor diversity, reduced foreign supply reliance, and greater innovation in the telecom sector.
The United Kingdom has also been a major champion of Open RAN, with the government investing over £250 million in research and development. As noted in an article by The Mobile Network on the topic, “UK operators will be asked for a commitment to multi-vendor procurement. In return Government will offer help on skills.” This funding is being used to support various projects, including the development of open standards, testing of Open RAN solutions, and deployment of Open RAN networks. The UK government's goals for Open RAN include increasing competition in the telecommunications industry, reducing operator costs, and improving mobile network security.
Japan has led Open RAN innovation, and the NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) program has been at the center of it. NEDO funds research and development of future technologies like Open RAN. Rakuten Mobile utilized NEDO funding to research and implement virtualization technology for deploying 5G SA and radio access network slicing, where it was indicated “results of the research and development project … confirmed that CAPEX and OPEX could be reduced by 30% or more compared to conventional mobile networks requiring dedicated hardware and software.”
Rakuten Mobile is actively collaborating with US companies and co-sponsoring open radio units in the US through the NTIA program. They bring their expertise and technology further to stimulate Open RAN deployments and innovation in the US. Proof-of-concept trials in commercial networks will take advantage of Rakuten Symphony's state-of-the-art Open RAN technology to allow open and secure networks to be deployed in the US.
Rakuten Symphony is also actively engaged in government-sponsored POCs globally, such as those with recently announced Zain Kuwait, along with Telecom Egypt, Telkom Kenya, VEON Kyivstar, and NOW Telecom, reaffirming its commitment to accelerating Open RAN adoption and innovation.
Rakuten Symphony also established an Open RAN Customer Experience Center in the UK. Selected for funding by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Center’s launch demonstrated both Japan’s and the UK’s commitment to building next-generation mobile networks. This center serves as a hub for showcasing Open RAN capabilities, fostering collaboration, and accelerating the development and deployment of Open RAN solutions.
Building on this momentum, the United Kingdom’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has procured Rakuten Symphony’s Open RAN technology for use in the West Midland's flagship UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL), operated by the National Physical Laboratory.
In addition to leveraging government funding programs, Rakuten Symphony is the leader in O-RU certification, with more than 30 radio bands certified in the market. This is proof of our dedication to open interfaces and our capacity to simplify and automate interoperability testing.
Rakuten Symphony uses a stringent two-stage O-RU certification process, beginning with extensive preparation in design consultation and pre-IoT checklists. The testing process covers radio integration, 3GPP RCT testing, O-RAN conformity checks, and large-scale E2E system testing with over 100 test cases. This disciplined process ensures complete O-RU validation, resulting in very few field-reported bugs.
Our interoperability testing has stood the test in the biggest Open RAN deployment to date, Rakuten Mobile, with over 8.5 million customers. Our demonstrated performance per Opensignal is comparable and, in some areas, better than that of other carriers. For example, Rakuten Mobile's network, powered by Open RAN, reported 5G download speeds averaging 176.5 Mbps and 5G upload speeds of 27 Mbps, according to Opensignal data, ahead of other Japanese carriers' performance.
While Open RAN is often associated with multi-vendor interoperability, it's essential to acknowledge the reality of single-vendor Open RAN deployments that still adhere to open interfaces and recognize multiple radio units. These implementations, such as those pioneered by Rakuten Symphony, demonstrate that a cohesive Open RAN architecture can be achieved even within a single vendor environment, provided it maintains compliance with O-RAN standards and supports open, multi-band radios.
At the same time, Open RAN success can be achieved in multiple ways. Both traditional incumbents and newer disruptors are working with operators to explore hybrid approaches that blend open standards with varying degrees of integration. These diverse models highlight the flexibility of Open RAN and underscore that no single approach defines its future. What matters is the commitment to openness, innovation, and operator choice.
As pointed out by CommScope in a Sparring Partners podcast by Senza Fili Consulting's Monica Paolini, Open RAN suppliers must also focus on significant distinctions like Time Division Duplexing (TDD) or Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) as well as local frequencies. Focusing on local market/region-specific adaptation will allow interoperability testing and accelerate heterogeneous RAN solution deployment. Local suppliers have the potential to simplify interoperability testing, reduce costs, and enable operators to gain better control over their networks at faster innovation speeds (no need to meet the world’s requirements, just one country or region). Working with local suppliers is also at the heart of establishing secure and reliable Open RAN networks. Local suppliers are able to provide customized solutions that match the special needs of operators within a specific market.
Traveling down the path to RAN diversity won't be a solo trip. For operators, this means having a RAN diversity strategy, testing Open RAN deployments, and pursuing active engagement with in-region vendors. For such vendors, this means developing disaggregated products, spending resources on interoperability testing, and centering on in-region variations to create a hardened product. For governments, this means backing Open RAN research and development, enacting vendor-diversity-friendly regulations, and reducing regulatory cycles for Open RAN installations. The future of open RAN is open, complex, and full of possibility, encouraging a more connected, innovative mobile network. This change can boost local economies and foster innovation across the technology landscape.
This direction is the only way to create an anti-fragile independent supply chain. Understand your available government assistance for training, trials and PoCs.
