Nowadays, the term “open networking” is becoming increasingly popular. Some of you may recall that the telecom industry began evolving toward this concept back in the 2010s, with the introduction of Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). This marked a major shift—from vertically integrated systems to disaggregated architectures that separate hardware from software, and the user plane from the control plane. The goal was clear: eliminate vendor lock-in, accelerate innovation, and optimize total cost of ownership (TCO).

Since then, various telecom domains—such as the Mobile Core, OSS/BSS, and RAN—have embraced cloud-native transformation. Now, the final frontier is the Transport Network.

So, what exactly does “Open Transport Network” mean? The answer can be found in Telecom Infra Project (TIP), a global community of companies and organizations driving open and disaggregated network solutions. Within TIP, the Open Optical & Packet Transport (OOPT) Project Group works on the definition of open technologies, architectures and interfaces in Optical and IP Networking. Through strong collaboration between operators and vendors, TIP OOPT is leading the development of open architectures—starting from the definition of specifications to the field validation with interoperability testing, all aimed at driving the true open transport network. The working groups are as below as of October 2025.

Sharing the same vision of building truly open transport networks, NEC joined TIP through the Phoenix initiative on November 2021, under the OOPT project group.

Leveraging decades of optical expertise and global system integration experience, NEC has been actively contributing to the advancement of disaggregated optical systems through Phoenix— an open white-box L0/L1 transponder that operators can deploy on top/together with their existing line systems to increase the capacity of their optical networks. Here, together with MTN, we successfully completed the field-testing using NEC Network Operating System (NOS) in NEC SpectralWave® WX Series. With this successful deployment, NEC became the first in the world to earn the Requirements Compliant Gold Badge for its NOS, supporting Phoenix’s disaggregated transponder architecture. This recognition demonstrates that NEC’s NOS—a unique, Linux-based network operating system offering exceptional flexibility to enable whitebox transponder solutions and avoid vendor lock-in—contributes to TCO optimization for operators while accelerating innovation.

TIP MUST (Mandatory Use Case Requirements for SDN for Transport) is another area where we are actively work. MUST—yes, as in “a must-have” technology—- aims to accelerate and drive the adoption of SDN standards for transport network technologies.  Here, NEC also received the Requirements Compliant Bronze Badge from TIP for its NOS deployment aligned with the MUST project group. This software layer supports open, standards-based SDN and APIs built on OpenConfig, enabling vendor-neutral programmability and automation across open transport networks.

NEC’s efforts are also aligned with the IOWN Global Forum, where 170+ industry-leading organizations are working together to accelerate the innovation and adoption of photonics-based technologies - shaping the future of communications and computing infrastructure. In IOWN Global Forum, NEC is one of the leading companies, participating in the Technical Working Group and Liaison Working Group that foster ecosystem collaboration. These efforts reflect NEC’s commitment to shaping the future of open networking through global partnerships and cutting-edge technology development.

These NEC’s contributions to TIP and IOWN are not just technical milestones—they represent a broader vision for a connected world where openness, interoperability, and sustainability go hand in hand. We will continue to lead with purpose, empowering telecom operators and communities to thrive in the AI era through resilient, future-proof network solutions.

To learn more, visit us at the IOWN Global Forum Stand #E5 during TIP FYUZ, taking place November 3–5, 2025, in Dublin, Ireland, where we will showcase our latest SpectralWave WX Series solutions. Big things are on the way—don’t miss it!