forms where most, if not all, of the RAN MAC and PHY layers are implemented in a true software environment on the Linux OS. The expectation is that although the implementation efficiency may not match that of custom hardware and firmware, this is offset by cost and flexibility provided by SDR platforms through the use of GPP multicore devices and broad software enablement. On-chip integration of high-speed (25-100 Gbps) Ethernet hardware reduces the need for custom I/O solutions and allows for reuse of data center switch/routing solutions for fronthaul. The trend for SDR even extends to the remote radio head/radio unit (RU). Very large compute requirements make it impossible for programmable cores (DSPs) to implement dig- ital front end (DFE) functions as opposed to ASIC implementation. Optimized vector DSPs allow for a software-friendly and flexible deployment, while new chip-level partitioning, with on-chip data converter integration, modern memory interfaces, multi-chip integration, and other innovative techniques, enable the cost reduction required for massive MIMO deployment. AT&T, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, NTT DOCOMO, and Orange jointly announced the creation of the Open-RAN (O-RAN) Alliance in February 2018. Press releases say the O- RAN Alliance is a worldwide, carrier-led effort to drive new levels of openness in the RAN of next-generation wireless systems. But what does this mean? It means that three wireless net- working industry trends are coming together into a "perfect storm" moment. First, network- ing products in the wireline space (switches, routers, and similar equipment) have moved from proprietary, hardware-centric implementations to a software-centric implementation that executes on general-purpose, Arm or x86 hardware. Second, the wireless infrastructure vendor landscape has consolidated dramatically. Consider Nokia, which has been consolidat- ing Alcatel, Lucent, Nokia, Nortel, Siemens, and more companies. Wireless operators, who are the customers of these infrastructure vendors, see 