More Than 225 Applications Totaling Nearly $3 Billion Submitted For The Wireless Innovation Fund

The second Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund will make up to $420 million available to invest in projects that will drive commercialization and innovation in open radio units. Radio units, which sit at the top of cell phone towers to transmit and receive signals, are the largest and most costly part of the carrier network.  

Applications for this round of funding were due July 17. NTIA is now evaluating the applications and expects to begin making awards later this year.

By supporting the development of open radio units, this second round of funding will help to ensure that wireless technology is built by the U.S. and its global allies and partners – not vendors from nations that threaten our national security.  

This second round of funding targets two critical areas:

• Open radio unit commercialization: Accelerating the development of open radio units to the point where they meet the needs of wireless carriers and are ready for commercial trials; and
• Open radio unit innovation: Improving the overall performance and capabilities of open radio units through targeted research and development.

NTIA has already awarded more than $140 million to 17 grantees through the first Notice of Funding Opportunity. That initial round of investments is supporting testing research and development, and the establishment of testing and evaluation facilities.