The White House announced four additional companies are joining the Administration’s National Science Foundation-led Advanced Wireless Initiative, collectively committing more than $8 million in in-kind contributions to help support the design, deployment, and operation of four city-scale advanced wireless testing platforms. The $400 million initiative announced in July, will enable the deployment and use of four city-scale testing platforms for advanced wireless research over the next decade and builds upon the FCC’s Spectrum Frontiers vote.
The companies joining the effort are announcing the following new steps:
- Anritsu will contribute microwave components, spectrum analysis tools, and equipment to support testing, measurement, and service assurance.
- Crown Castle will support the testing platforms by providing network deployment and tower siting advice and space on wireless towers.
- Ericsson will provide resources in the form of researchers, systems and technology expertise, software-defined networking and radio network engineering support, with a focus on spectrum flexibility, spectrum sharing, security, IoT, and advanced radio technologies.
- FiberTower will contribute mmWave spectrum services in support of selected geographic regions.
The Advanced Wireless Initiative includes an $85 million investment in advanced wireless testing platforms by a public-private effort, including NSF and more than 20 technology companies and associations. Some of those include AT&T, CommScope, Nokia and Nokia Bell Labs, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. Associations involved in the effort include: The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS), CTIA and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA).
The Advanced Wireless Initiative is part of a larger Smart Cities Initiative, begun last year to increase interactions between government, the private sector and nonprofits to test new technologies. The National Science Foundation is announcing over $60 million in new smart cities-related grants in FY16 and planned new investments in FY17.
The upcoming White House Frontiers Conference is slated for October 13, in Pittsburgh. The goal is to advance the initiative by bringing together some of the world’s leading innovators to discuss how investing in science and technology frontiers—including smart and inclusive local communities—can help improve lives and keep America on the cutting edge of innovation.
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