Will a collaboration between Huawei and the O-RAN Alliance be announced before 1 October 2025?
Started
Apr 01, 2024 07:00PM UTC
Closing Oct 01, 2025 04:00AM UTC
Closing Oct 01, 2025 04:00AM UTC
Open RAN is an effort to push the mobile network industry away from vendor lock-in and towards interoperability, i.e., to allow mobile networks to use equipment from multiple companies instead of having to buy a completely proprietary solution from only one vendor (Network World, Juniper Networks). Huawei, the world’s leading 5G equipment manufacturer, has expressed skepticism towards open RAN efforts in the past (Light Reading, Strand Consult). In February 2024, Huawei dismissed speculation that plans to support open RAN were forthcoming (Telecom TV).
The O-RAN Alliance (O-RAN) is an organization made up of mobile network operators, vendors, and academic and research institutions that is working to move the industry towards open RAN architecture. Huawei is not a member of O-RAN, despite the fact that rival telecom equipment manufacturers Nokia, Ericsson, and ZTE, as well as China’s major mobile network operators are all members of the Alliance (O-RAN Membership). Some view O-RAN as a U.S.-backed effort to tackle Huawei’s dominance in the industry but others have noted that Chinese influence within O-RAN may scupper these efforts (GizChina, DigiTimes, ECIPE).
Resolution Criteria:
This question will be resolved as “Yes” if Huawei or the O-RAN Alliance announce a collaboration between them on or before 1 October 2025. Such a collaboration might include, but is not limited to, Huawei joining the O-RAN Alliance, testing or developing equipment with O-RAN standards, or making financial or resource commitments. Examples of past announcements of other organizations collaborating with O-RAN include O-RAN’s collaborations with ATIS, SCF, and the Telecom Infra Project. Statements by Huawei that they intend to explore open RAN projects unrelated to the O-RAN Alliance will not count towards resolution.