Canadian telco Bell has invested in Open RAN software supplier Cohere Technologies.

Cohere has received an undisclosed amount of funding from Bell's corporate arm Bell Ventures, with the main purpose of providing its Universal Spectrum Multiplier (USM) software for Bell.

According to Cohere, it will conduct network trials of its USM software for O-RAN on Bell’s 5G network, and will also evaluate Orthogonal Time Frequency Space (OTFS) for 6G.

Trials are set to begin during the second quarter of this year.

California-based Cohere specializes in developing Spectrum Multiplier software for Open Radio Access Networks, and existing 4G and 5G mobile networks.

Its CEO and chairman Ray Dolan says the partnership with Bell allows the firm "to scale faster toward commercializing our support for 4G and 5G with our Universal Spectrum Multiplier".

“Bell’s interest, collaboration, and support is also intended to accelerate OTFS as a candidate for 6G that has unique benefits to the global defense industry as well as satellite connectivity," said Dolan.

"Such advancement in the industry will drive innovation in future wireless networks, which is a clear illustration of Bell Ventures’ mission," added Mark McDonald, vice president, Wireless Access Bell.

The funding for Cohere comes nearly a year after the company raised $46 million from a funding series led by Koch venture capital arm, Koch Strategic Platforms (KSP), to commercialize its USM Open-RAN software.