UP Diliman (UPD), through the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI) of the UPD College of Engineering (COE), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Philippines to set up another laboratory on campus, the Open Radio Access Network (RAN) Laboratory.

According to the EEEI, the Open RAN Laboratory is a project “envisioned to be a center for collaboration among mobile network operators, ICT [information and communication technology] vendors, industry organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, and other development partners. It aims to promote open and disaggregated network technologies, particularly open RAN, to foster a robust telecommunications environment.” The laboratory will be housed at the institute.

John Garrity, chief of party of USAID Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON) Activity, explained that the Open RAN Laboratory focuses on improving the quality of ICT infrastructure, strengthening the enabling environment and regulatory governance, and developing cybersecurity technical capacity. USAID/Philippines is implementing the Open RAN Laboratory through the BEACON Activity, a five-year project designed to support inclusive and resilient economic growth in the Philippines through strengthening network infrastructures, ICT skills, and institutional capacities.

“Open RAN essentially is about disaggregating a very closed and proprietary technology stock, and basically expanding the ecosystems, lowering the cost of deployment and allowing the telcos [telecommunications companies] to expand their connectivity out in the unconnected areas,” he said.

UPD Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II thanked USAID for its generous support.

“We are confident that the Open RAN Laboratory will be fully utilized by the university in doing research and extension that will improve connectivity for every Filipino to drive our country’s digital transformation. Additionally, we are also confident that this partnership will spur local innovation and industries that deliver technologies for next generation communication systems,” Vistan said.

The MOU was signed by Vistan and Amy Lovejoy, director of the Economic, Development and Governance Office of USAID/Philippines, on Aug. 27 at the UP Board of Regents Room.

On a related development, UPD and USAID Philippines signed another MOU for the establishment of a scholarship and fellowship program for next generation networks research and development.

The two institutions are collaborating on a scholarship program that will provide post-graduate grants to three Filipino engineers and researchers who will also be engaged in the operation of the Open RAN Laboratory.

Garrity and Director Lew Andre Tria of the EEEI, signed the MOU on the scholarship program.

Present at the event were UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, COE Dean Maria Antonia N. Tanchuling, Koji Isawa, first secretary of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, USAID/Philippines representatives, and EEEI faculty members.