More than 225 Applications Totaling Nearly $3 Billion Submitted for the Wireless Innovation Fund

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it received 227 applications requesting more than $2.94 billion in funding to support wireless equipment innovation. The second Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund will make up to $420 million available to invest in projects that will drive commercialization and innovation in open radio units. Radio units, which sit at the top of cell phone towers to transmit and receive signals, are the largest and most costly part of the carrier network. Applications for this round of funding were due July 17. NTIA is evaluating the applications and expects to begin making awards later in 2024.