PLDT, Smart, USAID, and UP Partner for the PH's First Open RAN Laboratory

PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its cellular unit, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), are partnering with international and local telecom industry players, as well as academics, to accelerate the adoption of Open Radio Access Networks (RAN) in the Philippine market.

In the latest milestone in this initiative, PLDT and Smart joined partners from USAID's Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON) Activity, University of the Philippines (UP), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA), and other telcos to unveil the country's first Open RAN Laboratory in UP Diliman, Quezon City.

Present during the unveiling of the laboratory were USAID BEACON Chief of Party John Garrity, USAID Mission Director Ryan Washburn, UP Chancellor Atty Edgardo Carlo Vistan II, DICT Undersecretary for Infostructure Management, Cybersecurity and Upskilling Jeffrey Dy, Philippine Space Agency Director General Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr., USAID Asia Bureau Economic Growth and Private Capital Advisor Kofi Owusu-Boakye, and PLDT and Smart representatives led by Smart Head of Wireless Network Strategy and Architecture Radames Vittorio Zalameda and Head of Network Innovation and Laboratory Lennart Olaivar.

Experts from Viavi Solutions led the laboratory capability demonstration, while the UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UP EEEI) also presented their plans regarding training initiatives and operations in the laboratory, which is envisioned to be a "center of collaboration on training and research, workforce development, and performance testing" of Open RAN in the Philippines.

Open RAN may enable telcos like Smart to mix and match hardware and software from any vendor by disaggregating the various radio network components using open-source software and general-purpose hardware. The technology's benefits include cost savings for telcos, allowing operators to be more adaptable and agile, and making their network more intelligent and efficient, all of which will pave the way for improved customer service and more innovative services.

"We are proud to participate and contribute in the planning and design of this facility and to provide technical advice during the building process of this innovation lab, which we believe will contribute significantly to advance open, interoperable, and disaggregated network technologies in the Philippines," Smart Wireless Network Head Debbie M. Hu said, adding that the lab's systems will be made available for PLDT and Smart to support the companies' technical capability development, testing, research, and collaborative studies essential in paving the way for future innovations.

"We at PLDT and Smart are proud to be supporting the launch of this Open RAN Laboratory, driven by our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation and enhancing the lives of the Filipino people. We extend our deepest gratitude to our partners at USAID and UP for making this state-of-the-art facility a reality," Zalameda said.

"Here, the principle of 'failing fast and succeeding faster,' a mindset our Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan consistently instills in us, proves to be entirely achievable, even in the intricate world of 5G wireless technology," Zalameda added.

For years, PLDT and Smart have been staunch supporters of USAID and AORA, helping to develop course content and topics, sharing their knowledge and expertise through talks and lectures, and empowering students and professionals alike—a testament to the PLDT Group's dedication to education and industry growth.

One of the highlights of this collaboration was the team's tour of PLDT and Smart's Technolab in Makati City, which showcased the main components of a telecom lab, demonstrating PLDT and Smart's capabilities and serving as a baseline and model for USAID and AORA in establishing their own technology lab for Open RAN.

PLDT and Smart's support for the Open RAN Laboratory's Request for Information (RFI) has helped shape the future of telecom technology, particularly for radio access networks. The Group was also heavily involved in developing the lab's architecture and design, as well as ensuring that its base is solid, inventive, and feasible. PLDT and Smart also helped establish the needs for the lab setting, which was critical in bringing the USAID BEACON and AORA vision to reality.

PLDT and Smart have led the country's efforts to implement Open RAN and other new and disruptive technologies. In 2023, Smart was the first in the Philippines to successfully explore and test an Open RAN proof of concept (PoC). Later that year, the Group completed Phases 1 and 2 of the PoCs, with Phase 2 Stage 3 finished successfully in 2024, boosting and promoting the technology's acceptance.

PLDT and Smart's support for innovation contributes to the Group's efforts to close the digital divide, deliver universal connectivity, and fulfill the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 9—Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. These also strengthen the Group's support for the government's broader digitization strategy.