Technology leader joins O-RAN Alliance and Telecom Infra Project and continues close relationship with Broadband Forum

PLANO, Texas, Dec. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DZS (NASDAQ: DZSI), a global leader of mobile, fixed broadband and enterprise access networking solutions representing 1,000+ communications service providers and enterprise customers, today reinforced its commitment to open standards and cross-industry collaboration by announcing its support of the O-RAN Alliance, Broadband Forum, and Telecom Infra Project.

“Network operators, our fellow ecosystem participants and end users alike view freedom of choice and open, software-driven systems to be the key ingredient of modern networks and services – whether its 5G, optical broadband and Fiber-to-the-Premises, smart cities, connected homes, or Internet of Things,” said Andrew Bender, CTO & Business Development Leader of DZS. “By investing in open standards and technology partnerships through organizations like O-RAN Alliance, Broadband Forum and Telecom Infra Project, DZS aligns with other like-minded innovators and ecosystem initiatives driving transformation in the communications industry. Our groundbreaking partnership with Rakuten to build what we believe is the world’s first fully virtualized, cloud-native mobile network supporting the Open RAN (O-RAN) architectural model is just one example of how DZS is enabling service providers worldwide to leverage open architectures and software-defined approaches to evolve fixed and mobile broadband networks, enable new services and improve the experience for both our customers, and the subscribers to these networks.”

Already an industry leader with its standards-based products and architectures, DZS is advancing a commitment to openness and interoperability through engagement with prominent standards bodies:

• O-RAN Alliance – Along with partner and new member Rakuten Mobile, DZS has joined the O-RAN Alliance to progress the realization of technology, standards, and interoperation of O-RAN aligned implementations. Founded in 2018, the O-RAN Alliance is transforming the Radio Access Network towards an open, intelligent, virtualized and software-defined RAN architecture and ecosystem
• Broadband Forum – DZS has renewed its Principal Vendor membership in Broadband Forum, the broadband industry’s leading standards and interoperability organization. With projects spanning 5G, Connected Home, CloudCO, and Access, DZS is in close alignment with virtually every aspect of its work. DZS has been active in Broadband Forum historically, both as a Silver Sponsor and frequent speaker in its Broadband Acceleration Seminar (BASe) series as well as a major contributor to its Cloud Central Office (CloudCO) and Open Broadband – Broadband Access Abstraction (OB-BAA) initiatives and demonstrations.
• Telecom Infra Project (TIP) – Reflecting its longstanding commitment to customer freedom of choice, DZS has joined the TIP. Originally founded by Facebook in 2016, this global community of organizations is working to accelerate development, testing and deployment of open, disaggregated and standards-based connectivity platforms for fixed, mobile, and non-terrestrial access and transport networks.

With its forward-looking business strategy centered on open standards, joint ecosystem partnerships and enabling software-defined networks and services, DZS empowers its customers with freedom of choice and the agility to pursue open networks and best-in-class solutions. The future of 5G mobile edge access, broadband access, and the customer premises is clearly aligned with open solutions implemented on flexible, highly scalable and interoperable networks without vendor lock-in concerns. As a key participant in TIP, O-RAN Alliance, and Broadband Forum, DZS is actively turning the promise of this future into reality.

About DZS

DZS Inc. (NSDQ: DZSI) is global leader of mobile, fixed broadband and enterprise access networking and transport solutions with 20+ million products deployed across 1,000+ communication service providers and enterprise customers spanning 100+ countries.

DZS, the DZS logo, and all DZS product names are trademarks of DZS Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective holders. Specifications, products, and/or product names are all subject to change.

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and our future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect the beliefs and assumptions of the Company’s management as of the date hereof. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. The Company’s actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, those risk factors contained in the Company’s SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including without limitation, the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. In addition, additional or unforeseen affects from the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic climate may give rise to or amplify many of these risks. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. DZS undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.

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Press Inquiries:McKenzie Hurst, Thatcher+Co.Mobile: +1 408.888.6787Email: mhurst@thatcherandco.com