Earlier this February, Auray, a subsidiary of Auden, the Auray OTIC and Security Lab in Taiwan and the AERPAW OTIC at NC State University , USA, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a strategic collaboration. This partnership leverages extensive industry and academic expertise to enhance O-RAN testing and integration capabies.

The collaboration will focus on joint testing of O-RUs, O-DUs, and O-CUs from multiple vendors, as well as xApp / rApp software. It also includes participation in O-RAN Alliance Plugfest activities, the development of best practices for O-RAN testing. submission of joint grant proposals, and co-authoring research publications.

This initiative is expected to advance O-RAN research and testing methodologies within both organizations’ areas of expertise. Designated representatives from each OTIC will lead the collaboration, which has already begun with end-to-end repeatable testing of O-RAN systems for the O-RAN Alliance Spring 2025 Plugfest.