Viavi Solutions is spearheading an ambitious initiative with the establishment of a new Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) test lab in Quezon City, Metro Manila. This project, under the Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON) Project, benefits from funding by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Notably, it aims to boost the Open RAN market in the region and facilitate workforce development, attracting new players.
A collaboration with the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Electronics and Electrical Engineering Institute (EEEI) and the Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA) forms the backbone of this initiative. It echoes cooperative efforts between the United States and the Philippines, commemorated during Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to the White House in the previous year.
This lab employs the Viavi Automated Lab-as-a-Service for Open RAN (VALOR) platform. VALOR supports pay-as-you-go, automated testing-as-a-service for Open RAN technologies. It aims to simplify interoperability, performance, and security testing. Moreover, this platform mirrors the architecture used in a newly opened lab in Chandler, Arizona, funded by the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
The Philippine site will incorporate diverse components from esteemed vendors like Fujitsu and SOLiD, embracing a multi-vendor Open RAN philosophy.
