National Science Foundation-Funded PAWR Program Selects Two Finalists for Fourth Wireless Testbed Focused on Rural Broadband

The Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and a consortium of 35 leading wireless companies and associations, announced two finalists in the competition to name a fourth city-scale wireless research testbed aimed at studying novel ways to reduce the cost of broadband delivery to rural communities. The finalists are ARA, a Wireless Living Lab for Smart and Connected Rural Communities, led by Iowa State University and the city of Ames, Iowa; and NEXTT, the Nebraska Experimental Testbed of Things, led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the city of Lincoln, Nebraska.

As part of the final round of competition, the NSF is providing, through the PAWR Project Office (PPO), funding of $300,000 each to ARA and NEXTT for further platform development work. This funding is designed to allow the platforms to develop a platform design that incorporates various novel broadband delivery technologies for research and experimentation. This work will ensure that the team ultimately selected for the next platform in the PAWR program is positioned for an accelerated deployment process at the start of 2021.