The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has received 94 applications seeking nearly $3 billion in federal funding for the third round of the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund. Applicants have also proposed more than $1.3 billion in private investment to advance open and interoperable wireless equipment—particularly targeting the acceleration of Open RAN adoption in U.S. mobile networks.
This round, with up to $450 million available, is focused on industry-specific use cases and automated integration solutions for Open RAN, including software leveraging RAN Intelligent Controllers (RICs) and automation tools to simplify multi-vendor deployments. These initiatives aim to drive energy efficiency, reduce integration costs, and foster productivity gains across vertical sectors like utilities, manufacturing, and unmanned aviation.
Funded by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the $1.5 billion Innovation Fund has already allocated more than $550 million across 35 projects in prior rounds. The first round focused on test and evaluation infrastructure, while the second emphasized commercialization of open radio units. NTIA plans to announce awardees from this third round later this year.
Key points:
- 94 applications submitted requesting nearly $3B in federal support
- Over $1.3B in proposed matching private investment
- Up to $450M available in third round of funding
- Focus areas include:
- Software using Open RAN data and RICs for energy savings and productivity
- Automation to reduce cost and complexity of multi-vendor Open RAN integration
- $550M awarded across 35 projects in previous rounds
- Round one: testbeds and R&D; Round two: open radio units
- NTIA anticipates announcing awards in late 2025
“Promoting innovation in wireless networks is key to increasing America’s technological leadership and reducing the influence of our adversaries,” said Adam Cassady, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Acting NTIA Administrator.