Viavi’s Automated Lab-as-a-service for Open RAN (VALOR) solution gets official TIP authorization
Viavi Solutions’ Lab-as-a-service for Open RAN, otherwise known as VALOR, is getting expanded test capabilities through a new collaboration with the Telecom Infra Project (TIP).
VALOR has been established as the first authorized test lab for TIP, in order to smooth the way for broader industry implementation and certification of O-RAN-related tech—which is the main reason, after all, that VALOR received a $21.7 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (PWSCIF), as part of the U.S. government’s efforts to support the development of an Open RAN ecosystem. Based on feedback from industry stakeholders that was gathered through public comment and a listening session, NTIA’s initial focus for the innovation fund was on expanding and improving testing and R&D, with a particular focus on interoperability, performance and security of open networks as an urgently-needed foundation for Open RAN that could most efficiently boost the overall ecosystem.
TIP already has a network of Community Labs around the world where TIP projects are sponsored by individual companies. VALOR becoming the first TIP-authorized lab is meant to cut down on duplication of testing and speed up certification and time-to-market for Open RAN solutions.
Viavi and TIP said that VALOR’s cloud-based and virtual testing will be integrated into TIP’s system performance certification program, and the two partners will work together to polish VALOR’s testing capabilities so that it can provide a holistic testing approach and make sure that O-RAN systems provide high performance and meet the complex needs of real-world networks.
Viavi already participates in TIP’s OpenRAN PG and Test and Validation Committee, noted Viavi CTO Sameh Yamany, who added that the VALOR partnership with TIP is meant to “reduce market fragmentation, create supply chain efficiencies, and build marketplace confidence through standardized testing and certification processes.”
“Comprehensive end-to-end testing ensures that Open RAN systems meet high-performance standards and are robust enough to handle real-world network complexities, thereby maintaining service quality and reducing downtime,” said Kristian Toivo, TIP’s executive director. “In addition to the extreme performance testing, VALOR’s Open RAN virtual testing environment brings new capabilities to TIP Labs and the community. This strategic engagement fosters innovation, improves supply chain resilience, and accelerates the global adoption of Open RAN technologies, offering operators more flexible, cost-effective, and high-performance network solutions.”