Under the leadership provided by AT&T and Verizon, a new research and development lab has been established at The IQ®HQ facility as part of a nationwide collaboration to pursue research, testing, evaluation and development of the next generation of 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) products and services.
The OpenLab is affiliated with The University of Texas at Dallas’ Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. It will provide opportunities for testing 5G network performance, interoperability and security and will facilitate development of new testing methodologies designed to help lead to the adoption of an open and interoperable multivendor wireless network infrastructure. The facility will also offer exposure to a vibrant ecosystem of researchers, enterprise partners and entrepreneurs. The City is supporting UTD’s effort by providing a partial rent abatement for the space.
“We are thrilled to announce the creation of this 5G Interoperability lab and that AT&T and Verizon have joined UT Dallas in planting a flag in the Richardson IQ,” said Richardson City Manager Don Magner. “This collaboration marks another significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to advance technological research and commercial applications and highlights the impact The IQ®HQ can have when the City, the university and private enterprise work together. This is precisely the type of partnership we imagined for our innovation ecosystem.”
The lab is part of a recently announced Acceleration of Compatibility and Commercialization for Open RAN Deployments (ACCoRD) consortium, whose work is funded by a grant of over $42 million in federal funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. The goal of its work is to accelerate the development and deployment of Open RAN, short for Open Radio Access Network, technologies that will be critical for future wireless communications. The City is providing a below-market-rate lease for up to four years to the University for more than 3,600 square feet of space at the Richardson IQ®HQ, located at 1302 E. Collins Blvd.
In addition to AT&T and Verizon, the consortium includes major network operators like India-based Reliance Jio and Japanese telecommunications company NTT DOCOMO, as well as vendors such as Keysight, Ericsson, Samsung, Fujitsu and CommScope. Academic members include experts from UTD, Virginia Tech, Northeastern University, Iowa State University, Rutgers University, and Idaho National Laboratory.
“UT Dallas is a national leader in fundamental and applied research, and with partners in industry, government and academia, our researchers have spurred innovations that are changing the marketplace,” said Dr. Joseph Pancrazio, vice president for research and innovation at UT Dallas. “This consortium is certain to play a key role in meeting the increasing demand for more resilient and more secure wireless technologies that are so critical to citizens and businesses in the U.S. and around the globe.”
5G offers data rates about 100 times that of 4G components and is primarily used for enhanced mobile broadband, providing faster speeds and improved streaming for consumers. It supports industrial applications like smart factories, autonomous vehicles, and health care innovations such as telemedicine and remote surgery. Businesses benefit from private 5G networks and edge computing for low latency and real-time analytics. Future applications include advanced artificial intelligence, smart agriculture, and more immersive consumer experiences.
About the Richardson Innovation Quarter
The Richardson Innovation Quarter, known simply as the Richardson IQ® or The IQ®, is a 1,200-acre, amenity-rich, urban tech hub in the heart of the booming DFW Metroplex. Its legacy of serving as a home to technology-focused industries and entrepreneurship stretches back to the early days of the Space Race in the 1950s. Today, The IQ® continues to evolve and boasts innovators across a wide range of industries, including advanced additive manufacturing, biotechnology, finance, software development and R&D, as well as hosting incubators for entrepreneurial start-ups. With more than 1,100 businesses and 20,000 workers, The IQ® spurs the creativity and collaboration that drive innovation and growth, like that between the City and The University of Texas at Dallas, which jointly share The IQ® Headquarters. The IQ® acts as a living laboratory for big ideas and groundbreaking technology.
