NTIA Awards $117 Million for Wireless Innovation - Telecompetitor
Summary
WASHINGTON Today, the Department of Commerces National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded more than $117 million in the second batch of grants from the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Funds second Notice of Funding Opportunity.The $1.5 billion Wireless Innovation Fund supports the development of open and interoperable wireless networks. Open and interoperable wireless equipment will help drive competition, strengthen global supply chain resilience, and lower costs for consumers and network operators.Wireless innovation is a major driver for U.S. competition, said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. The Biden-Harris Administrations investments in open and interoperable wireless networks will help secure global leadership and increase competition in the wireless market.This batch of awards will support projects focused on open radio unit innovation and commercialization. Applicants were required to partner with a mobile network operator to help produce products that will be commercially viable.A diverse group of stakeholders have offered their support for these grants.Our awards today are tackling a major wireless network expense head-on with support to bring more open radio units to market, said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson. NTIA will make up to $420 million in grants available on a rolling basis from the second Notice of Funding Opportunity.