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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.

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.

Graphic showing the progress of the Innovation Fund in the wireless ecosystem.

 

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 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

 

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

The Innovation Fund recently announced its first grants, focused on testing & evaluation and research & development. Visit the Grant Programs page to learn more about these awards.

 

People looking at a screen, computer screen with money, charts and other icons

The Innovation Fund Awardee section provides details on grantees and their projects, as part of NTIA’s commitment to transparency.

Hands clicking at a keyboard and question marks floating off the screen.

The Grant Management section offers an overview of PWSCIF’s funding opportunities and the application process.

A pile of newspapers next to a keyboard and close to a computer screen

The News and Updates page connects you to the latest information about the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund. See press releases, blog posts, remarks, and other updates below.

Related content


Biden-Harris Administration Awards Nearly $80M For Wireless Innovation

January 10, 2024

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded nearly $80 million in the third round of grants from the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund’s first Notice of Funding Opportunity. This round includes the first awards in the Testing & Evaluation (T&E) category, designed to expand industry-accepted T&E activities, making testing more accessible to the entire wireless ecosystem.

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