Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Grant Program - Open Radio Commercialization and Innovation

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This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is the second issued under the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (Innovation Fund). The Innovation Fund is an NTIA-administered competitive grant program that seeks to accelerate the development, deployment, and adoption of open and interoperable radio access networks (RAN). In this second NOFO, NTIA aims to advance open radio unit (RU) commercialization and innovation by funding activities that 1) accelerate the development of open RU products to the point where they meet carrier needs and are ready for commercial trials, and 2) improve the overall performance and capabilities of open RUs through targeted research and development. The RU is the largest part of the carrier network and an easy entry point to the network, offering a low-risk deployment option to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) interested in Open RAN. Investing in the commercialization and innovation of these components in the Innovation Fund’s second funding opportunity can spur MNO adoption of open RUs during upcoming equipment buying cycles, generating momentum toward greater MNO adoption of the broader suite of open and interoperable RAN components. The transition to open and interoperable wireless networks becomes a more feasible and attractive proposition in the wireless market when there is broad deployment of open RUs that meet or exceed MNO requirements, and components are available from suppliers at scale.