Cisco gives broadband stimulus rules a thumbs up | NetworkWorld.com Community

Cisco gave a thumbs up to the broadband stimulus funds and rules unveiled this week by the US government. The feds are releasing over $4 billion of the $7.2 billion total broadband funding to pay for the first round of broadband projects mandated by the economic stimulus package passed earlier this year, colleague Brad Reed reports.

Over $4 billion has been granted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to award grants for projects that will build out broadband infrastructure in unserved or under-served areas, to deliver broadband capabilities for public safety agencies and to stimulate broadband demand through training and education. The remaining $2.5 billion in broadband stimulus money has been allotted to the Department of Agriculture to make loans to companies building out broadband infrastructure in rural areas, Reed reports...