Biden-Harris Administration Awards $273 Million For Wireless Innovation
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded more than $273 million as part of the first batch of grants from the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund’s second Notice of Funding Opportunity.
The Wireless Innovation Fund supports the development of open and interoperable wireless networks and equipment to help drive competition, strengthen global supply chain resilience and lower costs for consumers and network operators.
“To out-compete and out-build the rest of the world, we need to ensure we’re tapping into every resource to unleash U.S. innovation, which is precisely what these federal dollars will do by boosting the development of open and interoperable wireless networks,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Through the Wireless Innovation Fund, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking the necessary steps to prioritize equipment projects that will help secure U.S. global leadership and increase competition in the wireless market.”
This batch of awards will support projects focused on open radio unit hardware commercialization. Open radio units are critical hardware elements that make up the largest part of a carrier network. Applicants were required to partner with a mobile network operator (MNO) to help produce products that will be commercially viable. The inclusion of international network operators and other companies in this batch of awards demonstrates NTIA's commitment to achieving adoption of Open RAN on a global scale.
“The security of our phone networks has never been more important. Today’s awards are tackling a major wireless network hurdle head-on with support to bring more trusted and open radio units to market,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson. “These projects will shore up the hardware supply chain and create new opportunities for trusted components from the U.S. and its allies.”
What They're Saying
A diverse group of stakeholders have offered their support for these grants. Click below to read their statements.
Today’s announced funding totals $273,054,721 and was awarded to seven projects across six states. Later this winter, NTIA will award up to $146 million in additional grants under the second Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Funded by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the Wireless Innovation Fund will invest $1.5 billion over the next decade to support the development of open and interoperable networks. So far, NTIA has awarded more than $413 million from the Wireless Innovation Fund.
| Applicant | Funding Amount | Project Title and Description |
|---|---|---|
| JMA Wireless | $43,940,612 | American Ruggedized Modular O-RAN Radio (ARMOR): The development of the ARMOR platform will support multiple Open Radio Unit variants that are energy efficient. The streamlined radio unit components will support a cost-effective, high-power macro radios and in-building/small cell product line for mobile network operators. |
| Abside Networks | $46,808,485 | Wireless Heart of America (WHOA): This project will support the development of Very-Large-Array (VLA) Massive Multiple Input / Multiple Output (MIMO) Open Radio Units (ORUs) focused on the expansion of capacity and reduction of Total Cost of Ownership (TOC). |
| Battelle Memorial Institute | $37,851,880 | RavenStar Open Radio Unit (O-RU): Battelle will develop Massive Multiple Input / multiple Output (mMIMO) Open Radio Units (ORUs) with advanced Radio Frequency (RF) front end and digital signal processing enabling operators to utilize spectrum between 600 MHz and 7 GHz. |
| Microelectronics Technology | $34,962,845 | Development of Five Open RAN Macro Radios for Operation with Four Worldwide MNOs: This project will develop a family of five energy-efficient Open RAN macro radios for operation with four worldwide mobile network operators. |
| Eridan Communications | $36,809,408 | The Miracle RU: Eridan will accelerate the development of a light, power efficient and cost-efficient Open RAN small-cell radio unit. This will reduce deployment costs, operating costs and spectrum purchase costs for MNOs. |
| Solid Gear | $27,681,487 | Multi-Operator Radio Access Network (MORAN)-capable O-RAN Radio Unit (RU) Point of Interface embedded in Distributed Antenna System (DAS): Solid Gear will develop multi-operator Open Radio Units (ORUs) integrated for Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) to enable multiple operators to access in-building configurations. |
| Nokia of America Corporation | $45,000,000 | Open Radio Unit (RU) Commercialization Proposal: This project will develop a Next Generation Open Radio Unit Platform to deliver specific Open Radio Unit products globally. |
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About the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is the Executive Branch agency that advises the President on telecommunications and information policy issues. NTIA’s programs and policymaking focus largely on expanding broadband Internet access and adoption in America, expanding the use of spectrum by all users, advancing public safety communications, and ensuring that the Internet remains an engine for innovation and economic growth.