NTT DOCOMO has announced that it will participate in open radio access network (O-RAN) verifications in the US for the Acceleration of Compatibility and Commercialisation for O-RAN Deployments (ACCoRD) project in a consortium jointly founded with AT&T, Verizon Communications and Reliance Jio. This consortium was awarded a $42.3 million grant from the US Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on February 12, 2024.
The consortium comprises telecom operators, US universities, suppliers and equipment vendors from the US and abroad, and is committed to verifying multi-vendor O-RAN connectivity for further commercial deployments. Leveraging its experiences and expertise in multi-vendor interoperability since the 4G era and O-RAN deployment in 5G networks, DOCOMO will contribute to the realisation of integration and interoperability between major and emerging vendors with its consortium partners.
The grant program, part of the Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund established by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 in the US is aimed at promoting open and interoperable solutions in the wireless communication equipment market, stimulating the ecosystem, and providing grants to activities advancing verification, adoption and deployment of such technology and equipment.
Going forward, DOCOMO will contribute to supporting operators in their adoption of O-RAN through this consortium and the company’s O-RAN service brand OREX.
