(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology has joined the O-RAN Alliance: a nonprofit organization made up of mobile network operators, vendors, and academic and government institutions working to make radio access network (RAN) technologies more open, intelligent, and interoperable.

RAN technologies allow devices to communicate using radio waves and are used in cell towers, mobile phones, and internet-connected devices. The O-RAN Alliance develops hardware and software specifications that allow manufacturers and network operators to mix and match products from different vendors. This reduces reliance on single vendors and makes it easier for new businesses and products to enter the marketplace.

 …