Broadband stimulus exempted from ‘buy American’ requirements

The federal government is backing away from the ‘buy-American’ requirements originally attached to broadband stimulus award guidelines that had been highly criticized by broadband equipment vendors.

In a notice published today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is in charge of distributing nearly $5 billion of the $7.2 billion broadband stimulus initiative, announced an “exception” to the directive that American companies be given preference in receiving broadband stimulus funding...