FCC to Vote on Designating Boston and Raleigh as Newest Innovation Zones

Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed establishing Raleigh (NC) and Boston (MA) as innovation zones to allow for advanced wireless communications and network innovation and research. These designations would, among other positive impacts, help spur the development and integration of 5G network technologies and open radio access networks (Open RAN). Innovation zones are FCC-designated, city-scale test beds managed by the National Science Foundation’s Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research. If approved by a vote of the full FCC at its August 5 Open Meeting, this proposal will allow Raleigh and Boston to join New York City and Salt Lake City at the forefront of wireless technology innovation. The Raleigh Innovation Zone, in collaboration with North Carolina State University, will house Aerial Experimentation and Research Platform for Advanced Wireless, which will focus on new use cases involving wireless communications and unmanned aerial systems. The Boston Innovation Zone, at Northeastern University, will support the transition of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Colosseum network emulator to a shared platform, usable by the research community.