Arlington, VA – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is advancing a secure, next-generation 4G/5G network in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) built on trusted technology. USTDA signed an agreement with the Marshall Islands National Telecommunications Authority (MINTA) to fund a feasibility study to modernize RMI’s mobile network into a faster, more resilient system. Similar USTDA technical assistance in Palau led to the selection of trusted technology, including three U.S. suppliers, as Palau develops its own secure nationwide 4G/5G mobile network.
“This study will help RMI build a telecommunications network its people can trust, ensuring that a country of vital importance in the Pacific is not left vulnerable to networks that can be exploited,” said Thomas R. Hardy, USTDA’s Deputy Director. “It will improve connectivity and expand economic opportunity for the Marshall Islands’ people, while giving U.S. companies critical openings to compete and win in a strategic Pacific Islands market.”
MINTA selected Virginia-based Widelity, Inc. to conduct the study, which will assess technology and implementation options for a full network overhaul, evaluating solutions like Open RAN and virtual RAN architectures to identify the optimal path forward. The study will also help MINTA identify viable financing options and provide technical assistance on international best practices for evaluating proposals for the project’s implementation. The network overhaul will create opportunities for U.S. companies to compete for the supply of network equipment, core network systems, backhaul technology, hardware, software, and related services.
Dr. Yukiko Muller, President and CEO of MINTA, said: “USTDA’s support is catalytic in helping us lay the foundation for the next generation of telecommunications in the Marshall Islands. This study will guide us in identifying the most effective and sustainable solutions to improve connectivity, strengthen resilience, and support economic growth across our islands. We look forward to benefiting from global practices as we advance our digital future.”
RMI’s growing digital economy presents a timely opportunity to bring next-generation connectivity that aligns the country with the region’s rapid advancement toward modern network capabilities. A secure 4G/5G network stands to strengthen connectivity for as many as 42,000 people across RMI’s remote and geographically dispersed islands, while enhancing emergency response and disaster preparedness capabilities in a country whose environmental setting calls for a resilient, hardened network design.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is the U.S. government’s first mover on critical infrastructure development in emerging markets, advancing the shared strategic priorities of the United States and our overseas partners while creating opportunities to deploy trusted U.S. solutions. USTDA funds the upfront technical work that accelerates the development of infrastructure projects, helping them attract the financing they need for implementation and procurement of U.S. goods and services.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: press@ustda.gov