Notice2026-04704
NTIA Innovation Fund AI RAN Listening Session
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 11, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Telecommunications and Information Administration
Abstract
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will convene a hybrid industry listening session on the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund ("Innovation Fund"). The session will discuss Innovation Fund progress to date and solicit industry input to help inform a future funding opportunity.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 47 (Wednesday, March 11, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 11, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11963-11964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04704]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
NTIA Innovation Fund AI RAN Listening Session
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of open meeting.
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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information
[[Page 11964]]
Administration (NTIA) will convene a hybrid industry listening session
on the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (``Innovation
Fund''). The session will discuss Innovation Fund progress to date and
solicit industry input to help inform a future funding opportunity.
DATES: The listening session will be held on March 23, 2026, from 9:00
a.m. to 12 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
ADDRESSES: The session will be held hybrid, with participation
available both via Microsoft Teams and in-person at The MITRE
Corporation's location in McLean, Virginia. Online slide share and
dial-in information to be posted at <a href="http://www.ntia.gov/program/innovation-fund">www.ntia.gov/program/innovation-fund</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct questions regarding this
Notice to Richard Upchurch at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#79101717160f180d1016171f0c171d39170d1018571e160f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eb828585849d8a9f8284858d9e858fab859f828ac58c849d">[email protected]</span></a>, indicating
``Innovation Fund Listening Session 2026'' in the subject line, or if
by mail, addressed to National Telecommunications and Information
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: 202-482-3806. Please direct media
inquiries to NTIA's Office of Public Affairs, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d2a2a0b7a1a192bca6bbb3fcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a0d0d2c5d3d3e0ced4c9c18ec7cfd6">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Authority
The Innovation Fund is authorized under section 9202(a)(1) of the
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021 (Pub. L. 116-283; 47 U.S.C. 906(a)(1)). It supports
U.S. leadership in the global telecommunications ecosystem, fosters
competition, and strengthens our supply chain. The Secretary of
Commerce, acting through the NTIA Administrator, shall establish
criteria for grants awarded to support the following:
(i) Promoting and deploying technology, including software,
hardware, and microprocessing technology, that will enhance
competitiveness in the fifth-generation (commonly known as ``5G'') and
successor wireless technology supply chains that use open and
interoperable interface radio access networks.
(ii) Accelerating commercial deployments of open interface
standards-based compatible, interoperable equipment, such as equipment
developed pursuant to the standards set forth by organizations such as
the O-RAN Alliance, the Telecom Infra Project, 3GPP, the Open-RAN
Software Community, or any successor organizations.
(iii) Promoting and deploying compatibility of new 5G equipment
with future open standards-based, interoperable equipment.
(iv) Managing integration of multi-vendor network environments.
(v) Identifying objective criteria to define equipment as compliant
with open standards for multi-vendor network equipment
interoperability.
(vi) Promoting and deploying security features enhancing the
integrity and availability of equipment in multi-vendor networks.
(vii) Promoting and deploying network function virtualization to
facilitate multi-vendor interoperability and a more diverse vendor
market.
Listening Session Focus: This listening session will focus on
advancing AI-native telecommunications networks through the Innovation
Fund. This effort is aligned with the Administration's July 2025 AI
Action Plan and the Executive Order on Promoting the Export of the
American AI Technology Stack with the goal of establishing U.S.
leadership in secure AI technologies.
Time and Date: NTIA will convene the public listening session on
Monday, March 23, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. Eastern Daylight
Time. Please refer to NTIA's website, <a href="http://www.ntia.gov/program/innovation-fund">www.ntia.gov/program/innovation-fund</a> for the most current information.
Place: For those attending in-person, the listening session will be
held at The MITRE Corporation located at 7525 Colshire Drive, McLean,
VA 22102. For those attending virtually, online slide share and dial-in
information will be posted at <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/program/innovation-fund">https://www.ntia.gov/program/innovation-fund</a>. Please refer to NTIA's website, for the most current information.
Other Information: The meeting is open to the public and the press
on a first-come, first-serve basis. The hybrid meeting is accessible to
people with disabilities and/or individuals requiring accommodations
such as real-time captioning. Those individuals who need other
ancillary aids should notify the Department at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c0a9aeaeafb6a1b4a9afaea6b5aea480aeb4a9a1eea7afb6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e28b8c8c8d9483968b8d8c84978c86a28c968b83cc858d94">[email protected]</span></a>
at least seven (7) business days prior to the listening session. Access
details for the meeting are subject to change. Please refer to NTIA's
website, <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/program/innovation-fund">https://www.ntia.gov/program/innovation-fund</a> for the most
current information.
Dated: March 6, 2026.
David Brodian,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2026-04704 Filed 3-10-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P
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