Tech Mahindra, Northeastern University Partner to Drive Innovation in ORAN and 6G

Tech Mahindra, a global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Northeastern University to accelerate innovation in Open Radio Access Networks (ORAN) and 6G connectivity. The collaboration will focus on the research, development, and testing of next-generation wireless networks for global customers.

Tech Mahindra and Northeastern University will develop industry-leading solutions in ORAN and 6G, focusing on large-scale testing and certification of the ORAN ecosystem. The joint efforts will leverage Tech Mahindra's deep domain expertise in telecom, and Northeastern University's Open6G Open Testing and Integration Center (OTIC), to provide comprehensive testing services, for compliance, interoperability, performance, and functionality of ORAN products. This collaboration will enable end-to-end testing in both virtual and real-world environments, using innovative solutions like digital twin technology to replicate real-world conditions accurately.

Manish Mangal, Chief Technology Officer, Telecom & Global Business Head, Network Services, Tech Mahindra, said, " Today, we start a journey of innovation towards a connected future through this MoU with Northeastern University. By combining our expertise, we will create new technology, focusing on testing and verification, enabling our customers to scale at speed. Together, we will advance Open RAN and 6G, transforming ideas into reality and delivering exceptional value."

This collaboration will serve as a trusted avenue for industry ORAN vendors, Communication Service Providers (CSPs), and start-ups to transform their new concepts and ideas into reality by utilizing artificial intelligence and ORAN technology. It will provide a collaborative, vendor-independent environment where customers can test their products and solutions against ORAN specifications. Additionally, it will enable the vendors to evaluate network energy efficiency in ORAN deployments and ensure that their products meet the highest standards of performance, security, and interoperability.

Tommaso Melodia, Director - Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things (WIoT) & William L. Smith Professor, Northeastern University, said, "We are thrilled to see Northeastern Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things Open6G R&D Center partnering with Tech Mahindra. This collaboration is aimed at enriching the partnership portfolio of both the organizations and promises to drive significant advancements in R&D, testing, and system integration for Open RAN, accelerating innovation, testing, and deployment of intelligent wireless networks. Together, we will push the boundaries of what is possible and pave the way for future open, programmable, and AI-powered wireless networks."

The collaboration aligns with Tech Mahindra's expertise as a trusted transformation partner, leveraging its capabilities in network, engineering, and customer experience. Tech Mahindra is a leading solutions provider in the ORAN ecosystem, with expertise in planning, deploying, and managing large-scale ORAN networks.