German Bundesministerium fur Digitales und Verkehr (BMDV), a transport and digital infrastructure authority, opened applications for new mobile network funding schemes. The best projects will be funded from a €300 million pot set aside to develop open network technologies.

The plans to fund projects which aim to develop new products, processes, or services for either hardware or software components of mobile network technologies. It covers innovations for private and public mobile networks across protocols from 2G through to future standards. The agency added joint and individual applications for the interoperability of open interfaces would be funded.

Cash will be allocated from the Innovative Network Technologies in Mobile Communications segment of a wider cash pot, which has already been partly allocated by the ministry. BMDV noted all projects must be completed by the end of 2024, with feasibility studies having a maximum timespan of eight months. The deadline for applications is 14 October.

Volker Wissing, Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport said Germany aims to support the research of innovative network technologies and open network architectures in mobile communications. He added that this is only the laying of the foundations so that new generations of mobile communications can be introduced more quickly.