Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund

America’s Wireless Innovation Fund:Securing Our Future

Overview

5G and other wireless technologies are already changing our world for the better, and they have the potential to do even more. Technologists are hard at work further developing 5G technologies, making them more secure and efficient. Artificial intelligence (AI) may even play a role in the future of telecommunications by helping manage 5G systems. As 5G further evolves, it will transform how we work, live, do business, and care for our health.

Although 5G is dynamic, the 5G equipment market is static. A small group of companies dominate the market, some of whom pose a serious national security threat. The lack of competition degrades supply chains, causes higher prices, and prevents emerging players from entering the market.

Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN) are key to tackling these market challenges. Traditional networks rely on a single company to supply every component. Open RAN, on the other hand, is interoperable. Network architects can curate parts from different suppliers to build the best possible network. New suppliers can now enter the market with one part instead of an entire network architecture. By transitioning to Open RAN, the U.S. and partner countries can help the wireless ecosystem flourish for 5G and beyond.

Participate in the Upcoming Information Session

MAY 17, 2024
10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM
MITRE 1 - 1H220, 7525 COLSHIRE DRIVE, MCLEAN, VA 21090

IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE AVAILABLE

The Biden-Harris Administration will advance Open RAN through the $1.5 billion Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund. The Innovation Fund was authorized under the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 provided funding for the program. Over the next decade, the Innovation Fund will drive wireless innovation, competition, and supply chain resilience. Its investments will open new doors for companies from the United States and partner nations.

The Innovation Fund will:

Promote 5G+ technologies that are secure, open, and virtualized.
Advance the deployment of open and interoperable equipment.
Support the integration of networks with multiple brands of equipment.
Identify criteria to decide if equipment follows open standards.

Innovation Fund NOFO 2 Program Snapshot

You can visit the Innovation Fund Program Snapshot page or download a one-page summary of the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation by clicking on the button below

The Innovation Fund recently announced its second Notice of Funding Opportunity, focused on Open Radio Commercialization and Innovation. Visit the Grant Programs page to learn more about this program.

NTIA is eager to implement the Innovation Fund. We will share more details about the programs as they become available. If you have questions about the Innovation Fund, please contact us. You can also subscribe for updates about the Fund.

Transforming Spectrum Sharing: NTIA Seeks to Fund Innovation in Software Defined Radio Technology

May 14, 2024

By: Charles Cooper, Associate Administrator, Office of Spectrum Management

NTIA’s new round of funding from the $1.5 billion Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund presents a unique opportunity to advance spectrum-sensing technology, in turn potentially driving more efficient use of airwaves for the public and private sectors.

Spectrum sharing is an effective way to increase commercial access to spectrum resources while protecting and enhancing government operations. Spectrum-sensing technology incorporated into a sharing system or framework could protect incumbent operators while making more spectrum available for other beneficial uses. These sensor technologies would be able to detect and identify government radio signals among all of the various radio signals and avoid interfering with them.

One objective of this funding opportunity’s second focus area is to propel the development of advanced Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology that meets the needs of modern mobile networks. Projects funded under this initiative will target several critical advancements:

Topics

Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund

Spectrum Management

Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Notice Of Funding Opportunity (Nofo) 2, “Open Radio Commercialization and Innovation,” Information Session

May 08, 2024

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is excited to share information about its recently released second Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (Innovation Fund). This NOFO focuses on Open Radio Commercialization and Innovation, furthering the program's commitment to advancing open wireless network technologies.

Topics

Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund

Securing the Wireless Supply Chain

Thank you, Alan. I also want to thank CSIS for hosting this conversation. As you all know, we depend on our phones for daily life. But without a secure supply chain for network equipment, these devices – and everything we use them for – is at risk. We saw firsthand the fragility of our supply chains during the pandemic and learned the importance of building resilient networks. That is what our Wireless Innovation Fund is all about. The goal is to ensure we have a diverse range of high-quality suppliers who can plug their equipment into different parts of the mobile network. This will both strengthen the supply chain and improve competition, in turn driving innovation and network efficiencies.

Read more about Securing the Wireless Supply Chain

Subscribe to Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund RSS feed