The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at the Department of Commerce announced that, consistent with its statutory responsibilities under Section 9202(a)(1) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, President Trump’s AI Action Plan, and the Executive Order on Promoting the Export of the American AI Technology Stack, it is making up to $53 million available to accelerate the development, testing, and commercialization, of secure, American-led AI-enabled Radio Access Network (RAN) architecture.
This funding opportunity advances both objectives. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into wireless networks, AI-native RAN is an area that plays directly to America’s strengths in software and artificial intelligence. By demonstrating these technologies in real-world networks, we can give providers, investors, and our international partners the evidence they need to adopt trusted American AI-native RAN solutions where they deliver value and help ensure American innovators are well-positioned to shape the next generation of wireless communications.
This is the fourth Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund. The new NOFO, Solutions for AI-Native RAN, implements Congress’s direction to accelerate the commercialization and deployment of open, interoperable wireless equipment while advancing the Trump Administration’s goal of promoting a trusted, exportable U.S. AI technology stack where American innovation can compete globally.
The NOFO prioritizes projects that demonstrate both the technical performance and commercial viability of AI-native RAN technologies. Awardees must conduct real-world demonstrations that generate data to confirm business case projections. Consistent with the Innovation Fund’s statutory requirements, applicants must propose solutions that meet 3GPP and O-RAN specifications. To strengthen the competitiveness of trusted U.S. suppliers, projects must demonstrate how their architectures reduce operational costs, unlock new revenue streams, and enable innovative third-party services. The NOFO also emphasizes integrating cybersecurity into every layer of design and operation.
Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator
Congress established the Innovation Fund to accelerate deployment of open, interoperable wireless technologies, and President Trump has directed the Administration to promote an exportable American AI technology stack. This funding opportunity advances both objectives. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into wireless networks, AI-native RAN is an area that plays directly to America’s strengths in software and artificial intelligence. By demonstrating these technologies in real-world networks, we can give providers, investors, and our international partners the evidence they need to adopt trusted American AI-native RAN solutions where they deliver value and help ensure American innovators are well-positioned to shape the next generation of wireless communications.
Ray Sharma is an Industry Analyst and Editor at The Fast Mode. He has over 15 years of experience in mobile broadband technologies and solutions, conducting research and analysis on various technology segments and producing articles and write-ups on the latest developments within the sector. He is also in charge of social media engagement and industry liaisons.
Follow him on LinkedIn or Facebook. He can be reached at ray.sharma@thefastmode.com
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