Washington, Feb 24 (.) With support from the four Quad countries — United States, Australia, India, and Japan — the Palau National Communications Corporation (PNCC) has announced the selection of three US companies to deploy Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technology across the country. This will be the first Open RAN deployment in the Pacific region.
The initiative positions the archipelago nation of Palau in the western Pacific at the forefront of secure and resilient telecommunications among island nations, while highlighting the Quad’s growing role in promoting trusted digital infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific.
As the Pacific’s first Open RAN network, the initiative highlights Palau’s leadership in advancing next-generation connectivity across geographically dispersed island states.
The new network will strengthen secure 4G and 5G services, enhance digital supply chain resilience, and create expanded commercial opportunities for American technology providers.
By diversifying vendors and improving interoperability, Open RAN reduces dependence on single suppliers while increasing network flexibility and security, a critical advancement for Pacific nations seeking trusted infrastructure solutions in an evolving geopolitical environment, the US Department of State said.
The project is being advanced in cooperation with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), comprising the United States, Australia, India, and Japan. The Quad has committed approximately USD 20 million to support the development of secure and resilient telecommunications infrastructure in Palau.
The move builds on a 2023 announcement by Quad designating Palau as the site of the Pacific’s first Open RAN deployment, aimed at fostering a secure, resilient, and interconnected telecommunications ecosystem.
Since then, Quad has committed approximately USD 20 million to advance the initiative. Building on that foundation, the partnership is now expanding Open RAN collaboration to accelerate the delivery of trusted and secure technology solutions across the region.
Building on this foundation, the Quad plans to broaden support for ongoing Open RAN field trials and the Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA) in the Philippines, following an initial USD 8 million pledge earlier this year by the United States and Japan.
Washington also intends to invest more than USD 7 million to support AORA’s global expansion, including the establishment of a first-of-its-kind large-scale Open RAN workforce training initiative in South Asia in partnership with Indian institutions.
Officials said the partnership not only strengthens Palau’s digital capabilities but also reinforces broader regional efforts to promote secure connectivity, trusted technology ecosystems, and sustainable economic growth throughout the Pacific.
. . PRS
