Samsung Is Elected to the Technical Oversight Committee of the O-RAN Open Source Project – Samsung Global Newsroom

In a recent meeting online, Samsung Electronics was elected an official member to the Technical Oversight Committee for O-RAN open-source project. This is the highest decision-making body in the O-RAN Software Community.

Over a term of office that begins this April and extends through to 2023, Samsung is set to play a key role in the decision-making undertaken by the O-RAN open source project’s TOC.

Active Participation for the Future of Telecommunications Technologies

Samsung’s participation in O-RAN Alliance has allowed it to expand its presence in Open RAN. This domain is currently in high demand due to its potential as the next generation radio access network technology (RAN). The company has continuously developed open-source code over the last two years for RAN Intelligent Controllers (RIC).

Thanks to this pioneering work, Samsung has been elected as an official member of the TOC, the top voting body of the O-RAN SC, along with 11 other companies. JinGuk Jeong, Vice President and Head of Advanced Solutions Team at Samsung Researchh¹‘s Advanced Communications Research Center has now begun his term as the company’s representative to the TOC following the membership offer.

^ JinGuk Jeong, Vice President and Head of Advanced Solutions Team at Samsung Research’s s Advanced Communications Research Center

Setting Standards for Global Specifications and Open Source Software

The O-RAN SC TOC has twelve seats comprised of six global telecommunications operators — AT&T, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, NTT Docomo and TIM — and 6 telecommunications equipment and components providers — Samsung Electronics, Ericsson, Nokia, Windriver, Radisys and Viavi.

O-RAN SC is sponsored by O-RAN Alliance, which releases specifications, and it develops and releases their specification compatible software as open source. As a member of the TOC, Samsung is set to play a role in the final approval of the bi-annual open source code release, the establishment of a development roadmap, and in making decisions necessary to ensure alignment with the O-RAN Alliance.

Samsung intends to use the TOC membership as an open-source leadership platform for its network AI and ML research. This will allow it to expand its reach in related industries.

¹ Samsung Electronics’ advanced R&D hub, which leads the development of future technologies for its Device eXperience division