Open RAN has always been about choice, openness, and innovation. With the launch of the OCUDU project, those principles move from vision to reality. Together with our partner DeepSig, Software Radio Systems (SRS) has been selected by the National Spectrum Consortium (NSC), on behalf of the FutureG Office within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), to build OCUDU, the Linux of RAN. This marks the beginning of a transformative era for the wireless ecosystem.
What is OCUDU?
OCUDU stands for Open Centralized Unit / Distributed Unit. At its heart, it is an open-source, carrier-grade RAN platform. Think of it as the “Linux of RAN”: a common foundation that anyone can build on, adapt, and innovate with.
By moving the proven srsRAN CU and DU to a permissive BSD open-source software license with neutral governance hosted by the Linux Foundation, OCUDU will be transparent, sustainable, and globally accessible. For governments, industry, researchers, and developers, it offers a level playing field with no black boxes, no vendor lock-in, and no waiting years for features to arrive.
Building on srsRAN
The foundation is already strong. SRS has been powering production networks as well as research and innovation for more than a decade with our open-source and commercial software solutions. srsRAN is a mature and field-proven platform known for its performance, stability, and flexibility. Portable across processor architectures, it scales efficiently from low-SWaP embedded hardware to dense multi-cell vRAN deployments.
What makes srsRAN different is that it is software-first, delivering carrier-grade reliability in a fully open architecture. This combination of robustness, openness, and extensibility makes it the ideal foundation for OCUDU, a platform built to evolve with the ecosystem towards FutureG technology.
OCUDU takes this further. By re-licensing and fostering neutral governance, we ensure that the software is not only production-grade but also supported by a thriving ecosystem that can sustain it for the long term.
The Road Ahead
OCUDU will roll out in stages over the next three years. Here is what to expect:
- v1.0: Coming in March 2026, the first OCUDU release will transition the existing srsRAN CU/DU to the new BSD 3 Clause OpenMPI license and establish the project under the Linux Foundation with neutral governance. Building on the complete and self-contained srsRAN software stack, it will offer a portable, scalable, and standards-aligned software platform that runs on commercial off-the-shelf hardware. This release will set a solid baseline for ongoing feature set expansion, performance enhancements, and community-driven development.
- v2.x: Over the course of two and a half years, a new release will be delivered every 6 months. These incremental releases will add support for advanced capabilities, including massive MIMO (32T32R and 64T64R), Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), RedCap, Carrier Aggregation, and GPU acceleration.
- Validation at every step: Each release will undergo rigorous third-party testing in partnership with NTIA-funded O-RAN Test Laboratories, O-RAN Alliance Open Test and Integration Centers (OTICs), and National Science Foundation (NSF) Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) testbeds. These facilities provide open, vendor-neutral environments for verifying functionality, interoperability, and performance in both controlled and over-the-air conditions. Together, they ensure that OCUDU evolves as a robust and fully validated open RAN platform.
This is not just a roadmap. It is a living, open development process that anyone can follow and contribute to.
Looking to the Future
As OCUDU evolves, it will not only deliver on today’s 5G needs. It will also serve as a platform for future 6G and AI-native RAN, enabling new forms of spectrum sharing, sensing, and optimization. With DeepSig’s AI expertise, OCUDU will integrate advanced machine learning capabilities directly into the RAN, accelerating innovation far faster than traditional approaches allow.
Equally important, the community will grow with it. The existing srsRAN user and contributor base, now more than 10,000 strong, will transition into OCUDU, bringing continuity, expertise, and momentum. Workforce development programs, workshops, and documentation will ensure that the next generation of engineers and researchers can build on this foundation.
Why It Matters
The vision of O-RAN is one of open, interoperable networks that anyone can innovate and build upon. OCUDU makes that vision real by providing a common, carrier-grade software baseline. For industry, it means more flexible deployments and faster time-to-market. For research, it means a trusted platform to test new ideas. For users, it means networks that are more secure, efficient, and adaptable.
At SRS, we have always believed that openness drives progress. With OCUDU, we are taking that belief to the next level by creating the Linux of RAN for the entire ecosystem.
About Software Radio Systems
Software Radio Systems is a global leader in open wireless innovation, dedicated to developing high-performance, carrier-grade RAN software that underpins mission-critical deployments across terrestrial and satellite systems. For over a decade, SRS has driven the advancement of open source solutions through its flagship srsRAN project, enabling rapid prototyping, testing, and deployment of ground-breaking wireless technology. By championing transparency, interoperability, and collaboration, SRS is helping shape the future of 5G, 6G, and beyond.
Media Contact: press@srs.io
