At EchoStar, we're not just shaping the future of telecommunications; we're leading the charge. As a pioneer of Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technology, we built our network from the ground up to be open and interoperable, primarily with U.S. vendors. It is the world's largest standalone cloud-native 5G Open RAN network, covering more than 80% of the U.S. population. Open RAN makes our network more easily upgradable, more resilient, more secure, and faster to deploy. Plus, by building our network core in the cloud, we can scale our network more efficiently and unlock new opportunities to leverage data, apps, and artificial intelligence. It is an American success story, and we’re now sharing our expertise to strengthen the global Open RAN ecosystem. Our efforts will help ensure that the U.S. and our allies can offer a secure and trusted alternative to China’s telecommunications equipment, which has grown in popularity worldwide.

What is Open RAN?

Open RAN is a modern approach to building and managing wireless networks that promotes openness and interoperability. In traditional mobile networks, hardware and software are tightly integrated by a single vendor, meaning network operators often rely on one supplier for their equipment. This market is currently dominated by Chinese companies, who have been using their power to infiltrate communications networks across the globe and install equipment that could be susceptible to Chinese government espionage. If a network operator decides to change vendors at a later date, they generally must rip and replace the entire network technology stack. Open RAN changes this closed paradigm by allowing network components from different vendors to work together, thanks to standardized interfaces and open architecture.

This open methodology brings several benefits:

• Vendor Flexibility: Operators can mix and match hardware and software from different suppliers, encouraging competition and reducing dependency on any one vendor. If a single component needs to be upgraded, or a solution becomes unavailable due to a supply chain disruption or other problem, network operators can swap in an alternative component without having to rip and replace the entire network technology stack.
• Innovation: Open RAN enables more rapid innovation because companies can focus on specialized components, enhancing features like network optimization, automation, and security.
• Cost Efficiency: By using a variety of vendors and off-the-shelf hardware for their Open RAN networks, operators can lower both deployment and operational costs.
• Security: Networks built with Open RAN crack open the “black box” of traditional network hardware and software, providing operators greatly increased visibility into network functions and potential threat vectors. Put differently, breaches can be discovered more quickly, helping to minimize long term damage that may go undetected on legacy networks.
• Customization: Open RAN systems can be more easily tailored to meet specific needs, such as better performance in rural areas or specific security requirements for government use.

Promoting Open RAN Adoption Globally

EchoStar is promoting Open RAN on a global scale, particularly through collaboration with the U.S. government and other trusted partners. Building a more robust Open RAN ecosystem around the world will help provide a secure alternative to untrusted vendors, like China’s Huawei or ZTE.

Echostar has secured a groundbreaking $50 million grant from the NTIA Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund to launch the Open RAN Center for Integration and Deployment (ORCID). 

Housed in EchoStar’s secure Cheyenne, Wyoming, data center, the Open RAN Center for Integration and Deployment provides a lab for participants to test and evaluate their Open RAN solutions. Leveraging our consortium partners’ extensive experience and expertise, participants will be able to validate their solutions within a live commercial Open RAN network deployed by EchoStar. This collaborative effort aims to reduce development costs for participants and foster a more competitive landscape among wireless infrastructure providers. Making more solutions available at a lower cost will mean more viable alternatives to untrusted vendors.

Advancing Open RAN with the U.S. Department of Defense

EchoStar is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to test and validate Open RAN solutions for the U.S. military. For example, EchoStar has deployed a standalone private 5G Open RAN network for the U.S. Navy at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington State. The project is an example of how an Open RAN network can not only provide connectivity to airmen on the flight line, but also improve operational efficiency of the base. 

Similarly, EchoStar was selected to build a 5G Open RAN network prototype for the U.S. Army at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. This network will include a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), enabling the Department of Defense to test RIC-based applications tailored for military networks. The RIC—a capability unique to Open RAN—is key to future artificial intelligence-powered applications that can dynamically adapt networks in real time.

This collaboration, part of ongoing DOD 5G experimentation, underscores our dedication to driving innovation and security in defense technology. We will continue working with the DOD to expand their private 5G Open RAN efforts, including supporting additional work at military bases in the continental United States and the Indo-Pacific.