The Pragmatic Openness of Open RAN: Navigating the Path from Vendor Lock-in to Interoperability Islands

Authors

Keywords:

Open RAN, o-ran, oran, Islands of Interoperability, Radio access networks, 5g, 6g

Abstract

Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) promises to dismantle traditional vendor lock-in through disaggregation and standardization. This article analyzes its current trajectory, finding that the ecosystem is not evolving toward universal interoperability but is instead consolidating into “islands of interoperability” or pre-validated multi-vendor clusters that risk becoming new forms of lock-in. Through a review of global deployments and industry collaboration patterns, we examine the technical and market forces that may contribute to this fragmentation. We argue that while these islands represent a pragmatic compromise that increases operator choice, they also pose a significant long-term risk to the open ecosystem by stifling innovation and competition. Ultimately, we conclude that avoiding permanent fragmentation is not a technical challenge alone but a strategic imperative. It requires a concerted shift from writing standards to enforcing rigorous, transparent certification and fostering a market that rewards true interoperability over closed partnerships. The future of Open RAN depends on building bridges between these islands to preserve its foundational promise.

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Author Biographies

Nima Afraz, University College Dublin

Nima Afraz is a Tenured Assistant Professor in the School of Computer Science at University College Dublin and leads the UCD Network Intelligence and Automation Lab (NIA). His research focuses on Open RAN, blockchain applications in telecommunications, network automation, network economics, and infrastructure virtualisation. He is a funded investigator at the Research Ireland CONNECT Centre and has secured nearly €2 million in research funding through major national and European grants, including the National Space Subsystems and Payloads Initiative, the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the EU-funded HORIZON MSCA Staff Exchange project RE-ROUTE. Dr. Afraz completed his PhD in Computer Science at Trinity College Dublin in 2020, where his work on multi-tenant optical access networks contributed to standardisation and policy research. His research has influenced industry and public-policy outcomes, including Broadband Forum TR-402, ETSI specifications, and World Bank work on affordable broadband deployment. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the Linux Foundation’s Hyperledger Telecom Special Interest Group, supporting industry-academic collaboration in open-source telecommunications innovation.

Mohammad Shojafar, University of Surrey

Mohammad Shojafar (Senior Member, IEEE) received a PhD degree in Information and Communication Technology from Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, in 2016, where he was awarded the distinction of “Excellent” for his doctoral research. He is currently an Associate Professor of Network Security and an Intel Inno-vator with the 5G/6G Innovation Centre (5G/6GIC), Institute for Communication Systems, University of Surrey, U.K. Before this, he was a Senior Researcher and a Marie Curie Fellow with the SPRITZ Security and Privacy Research Group at the University of Padua, Italy. His research interests include 5G/6G network security and privacy, Open RAN security, and adversarial artificial intelligence for fog and cloud networking. Dr. Shojafar has secured approximately £2 million in research funding as Principal Investigator for various EU- and UK-funded projects. He serves as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, IEEE Transactions on Green Communications and Networking, and IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics. He is a Professional Member of the ACM, an ACM Distinguished Speaker, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and a Marie Curie Alumni.

Johann M. Marquez-Barja, IDLab, University of Antwerp - imec

Johann Marquez-Barja (Senior Member, IEEE) is Full Professor at the University of Antwerp and imec, Belgium, where he leads the Programmable and Intelligent Networks (PIN) group at IDLab. Ranked among the world’s Top 2\% scientists (Stanford/Elsevier), he has coordinated and contributed to numerous European research projects in 5G/6G, edge computing, network programmability, and vehicular communications. He also leads the Citylab Smart City, SmartHighway, and nextGOpen testbeds in Antwerp, Belgium. Prof. Marquez-Barja has authored over 300 publications, delivered several keynotes, and received 35+ awards. He is an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer (IEEE Vehicular Technology Society and IEEE Education Society), Senior Member of IEEE and ACM, and Fellow of EAI. His research spans 5G/6G architectures, network-of-networks, interoperability, and smart mobility.

Hamed Ahmadi, University of York

Hamed Ahmadi Senior Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree from the National University of Singapore in 2012. He is a Reader of digital engineering with the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, U.K., where he is the Director of iTWINS Lab and the Deputy Pillar Lead for Advanced Communications with the Institute for Safe Autonomy. He was a SINGA Ph.D. Scholar with the Institute for Infocomm Research, A-STAR, National University of Singapore. Then he worked at different academic and industrial positions in the Republic of Ireland and U.K. He has published a book and more than 100 peer reviewed book chapters, journal, and conference papers. He has been the Networks Working Group Chair of COST Actions CA15104 (IRACON) and CA20120 (INTERACT). He had chairing roles in organizing and technical programme committee of several IEEE flagship conferences, including IEEE ICC 2024, EUCNC 2025 and 2019, respectively, and PIMRC 2024 and 2019, respectively. He is also the Treasurer of the IEEE U.K. and Ireland Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. He is an Associate Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Communication Standards Magazine and a Fellow of U.K. Higher Education Academy. His current research interests include the application of machine learning in wireless networks, open radio access and networking, green and sustainable networks, airborne networks, digital twins of networks, and the Internet-of-Things.

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Published

2026-05-25

How to Cite

Afraz, N., Shojafar, M. ., Marquez-Barja, J. M., & Ahmadi, H. (2026). The Pragmatic Openness of Open RAN: Navigating the Path from Vendor Lock-in to Interoperability Islands. IEEE Latin America Transactions, 24(7), 670–682. Retrieved from https://latamt.ieeer9.org/index.php/transactions/article/view/10297

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 7 (2026): Ordinary Issue

Section

Computing