The fifth generation of wireless technology, or “5G”, will not be coming to South Bend or Notre Dame…yet.

The National Science Foundation rejected the dual South Bend/Notre Dame bid for 2018. No specifics were given, but Santi Garces, the city’s chief innovation officer, told the South Bend Tribune that the NSF wants more specifics and more corporate partners in their next application.

The $100 million White House Advanced Wireless Research Initiative was a program dreamed up during the President Barack Obama administration. It seeks cities to become “testbeds” for the 5G technology.

Garces feels that the South Bend/Notre Dame isn’t far off from getting a grant in 2019 or 2020.