'Sustainable Adoption programs' focus of DI-Con 2009 | Reuters

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 2,200 entities,
both government and commercial, have applied for a total of more than $28
billion in federal funding under the NTIA and Department of Agriculture
BIP/BTOP programs. Of these, more than 320 have applied for a portion of the
$250 million in stimulus funding for sustainable broadband adoption programs.

These applicants, as well as others requesting stimulus funding for other
purposes, will need to address the need to educate and equip seniors,
economically disadvantaged, minority and disabled Americans so that they can
use broadband connections effectively. How will these programs be created and
operated? That's the focus of Digital Inclusion 2009, a conference to be held
in Washington, DC on October 6-8...

Secretary of Agriculture in Zanesville

One of Barack Obama's top cabinet officials made a stop in Zanesville today.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack held a town hall meeting at the Muskingum County Welcome Center as part of his "Rural Tour." Vilsack joined by Senator Sherrod Brown and Representative Zack Space, took questions from a standing-room only audience...

Big telcos may still influence broadband stimulus bonanza - FierceWireless

Some expected there would be tepid interest in the broadband stimulus funds doled out by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Department of Agriculture, given the apathy expressed by the country's major broadband providers. Instead, both agencies saw nearly 2,200 bidders asking for almost $28 billion in funds.

That is nearly seven times the $4 billion that is available for the programs in the first round...

Broadband stimulus draws handful of proposals - Denver Business Journal:

Federal stimulus program rules aimed at expanding broadband service in the United States are proving financially untenable for telecom’s biggest players and too daunting for many of the mom-and-pop shops in Colorado.

Still, the first round of grants and loans from the $7.2 billion program has generated interest from mid-sized operations in what could be more than $200 million worth of projects in the state...

Telecom Calix raises $100 million - North San Francisco Bay Area, Sonoma, Marin, Napa counties - North Bay Business Journal - Archive

PETALUMA - Local telecom equipment maker Calix has raised an unprecedented $100 million in debt and venture capital to fund expansion and pursue federal stimulus money, the company announced today. The funds, the largest amount raised by a North Bay company in nearly 10 years and a figure reminiscent of the halcyon days of the tech boom, consist of $50 million from existing Calix investors and $50 million in debt financing established with Silicon Valley Bank.

Calix also announced the addition of three prominent venture capital partners to its board of directors.Calix hopes to leverage its position as market leader in access solutions for rural carriers to capture some of the $7.2 billion in the U.S. broadband stimulus program, part of the National Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More than 40 percent of rural carriers deploy the Calix access solutions for broadband service delivery over both copper and fiber-based networks...

Google schools me on broadband black holes

Google’s Mountain View, Calif., Wi-Fi network was supposed to mark the search giant’s evolution into an ISP when it was unveiled three years ago, delivering free Internet access to people as a way of getting more of them to see its ads. Instead it’s stayed confined to Mountain View.

And when I spoke with Karl Garcia, the current head of the project, he was pretty ambivalent about both its impact and its future; there was no talk of expansion or any of the usual Google enthusiasm for taking this model and using it to change the world. The contract with the city isn’t up for another two years, but Garcia didn’t disclose when negotiations for furthering the project or shutting it down might begin...

Recovery Act: Tracking the stimulus - Telecom News Analysis

With "nearly" $28 billion in bids put in for broadband stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), it is quite clear that many companies, operators, and tech groups have applied for grants or loans. (See Recovery Act: Round One Brings 'Nearly $28B' in Bids.)

Unstrung's stimulus index is tracking these bids. So far we know of 19 operators or tech organizations that have applied...

Applications outnumber broadband stimulus funds 7:1

Broadband stimulus applications outnumber funds available in the first round by about an order of magnitude, an analysis by USA Today finds.

The federal government has received more than 2,200 applications, totaling $28 billion, in a funding round of $4 billion. Since applications can run as long as 500 pages each, it will take some time simply to read each of the applications, which raises doubt about the goal of getting the first projects funded in about two weeks...

Recovery Act: TowerStream eyes new markets - Telecom News Analysis

WiMax operator TowerStream Corp. (Nasdaq: TWER) has applied for up to $120 million in broadband stimulus funds from the Recovery Act and plans to use the money to provide wireless broadband to underserved businesses in nine existing markets and eight new cities in the U.S.

The Middletown, R.I.-based operator has been vocal about the importance of the broadband stimulus funds since they were unveiled with company CEO Jeff Thompson repeatedly blogging on the matter...

Holy handouts! Applicants seek almost $28B in broadband bucks

The government agencies responsible for dispensing $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus money said today that 2,200 entities have applied for the first tranche of $4 billion in grants. The total funding sought was just shy of $28 billion, according to a release posted on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration web site. And when the roughly $10.5 billion in matching funds committed by the applicants is taken into account as well, that figure rises to $38 billion in proposed projects.

That’s a lot of demand for rural broadband, especially when we recall that the larger vendors have shied away from asking for funds. The NTIA and the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service expects to make the first cuts in this pile of applications by Sept. 15. According to the release, so far the breakdown of applications looks like this...

Agencies receive 2,200 applications for broadband funding - PC World

Two U.S. agencies have received nearly 2,200 applications, asking for about $28 billion in funding, for a first round of grants and loans for broadband deployment.

The requests far outpace the $7.2 billion set aside for broadband deployment in a huge economic stimulus bill passed early this year...

NTIA, RUS flooded with broadband stimulus applications totaling $28 billion - FierceBroadbandWireless

So much for that perceived lack of interest in broadband stimulus funding because the major incumbents passed on applying. Nearly 2,200 bidders have applied for almost $28 billion in broadband stimulus money from both the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture's RUS fund. That is nearly seven times the $4 billion available for the program in this first round.

NTIA said the bidders committed another $10.5 billion of their own money in matching funds, which means all of these bidders are coming forward with more than $38 billion in proposed projects. The statistics show more than 320 applicants are seeking nearly $2.5 billion for broadband awareness, training, access and support. Another 360 applications are asking for a total of $1.9 billion for computer centers to expand broadband access. The remainder want funding for infrastructure projects...

Companies seek federal help for expanding Internet capacity in western Loudoun - washingtonpost.com

The growing number of Internet users in western Loudoun County has been slowing connections on laptops and smartphones, technology experts say.

Busy wireless networks are bogging down the telecommunication towers, said Marty Dougherty, chief executive of Roadstar Internet, a Leesburg-based high-speed Internet service provider...

Recovery Act: Tier 2 says 'no thanks' - Telecom News Analysis

It's well known that Tier 1 carriers weren't interested in money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), but some of the Tier 2 camp turned down the offer as well.

Of course, there were still plenty of names -- some recognizable -- that put in for their share of the $4 billion being handed out in the first round of grants and loans. (See Recovery Act: The Stimulus Index.) But they may be in the minority...

The Digital Divide - Central planning vs market-based solutions

The application period for the first round of applicants for the National Broadband Stimulus funds ended on Aug. 14. And while it likely won’t be known for a while who will receive funding and how much, we can be sure of one thing: There will be a lot of controversy around these funds. The plan, originally proposed by Obama during his campaign for presidency, is intended to bring broadband to lesser-served portions of the country, such as rural areas and economically challenged neighborhoods.

While the intent is lofty, there are many issues and concerns that need to be addressed...

RCEC hopes to bring broadband to NEMO : News : KHQA

The Ralls County Electric Cooperative customers may be *in* line to go *online,* - broadband style. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and area legislators announced that the Ralls County Electric Co-op is one of two agencies in the state applying for Federal stimulus money from the USDA and Department of Commerce to bring broadband internet service to rural areas of Missouri.

The nineteen million dollar project would cover 11 hundred miles of cable through the Coops service area of Ralls County and parts of Monroe, Marion, Audrain and Pike...

360networks positions itself for broadband stimulus funding

SEATTLE, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- 360networks (USA) inc. announced today that it has filed its application for federal stimulus funding to expand broadband access to rural and underserved markets. 360networks is one of the country's leading fiber based telecom providers, operating a 17,200 mile fiber network in the western United States. 360 has presented an opportunity that would open access to numerous underserved populations by creating rural points of presence (or "POPs"), at amplifier and regeneration sites along the Company's fiber optic backbone. Many of these sites are centered in underserved markets where economic returns have not enabled access to date.

360network's proposed "middle-mile" project will access seventeen rural markets and a surrounding ten-mile radius along its existing 1,011 mile fiber optic route extending from Chicago, Illinois to New Orleans, Louisiana. This route is diverse to most national fiber backbones thus creating a cost effective alternative for broadband providers from most existing backhaul solutions. 360networks has been working with last-mile service providers over the past six months to deliver a package that not only offers connectivity to the nation's fiber backbone but turnkey product solutions for last-mile providers including local cable companies, local exchange companies, and wireless providers. The connectivity and products offered by 360networks will allow last-mile providers to better support broadband requirements of the consumers, businesses and government agencies in these underserved markets...

Pennsylvania joins $100 million broadband stimulus club | Telecompetitor

Pennsylvania is the latest state to announce that it has filed a $100 million plus broadband stimulus program application, seeking funds from the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities (BTOP) program and the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP). Missouri, Maryland, New Mexico, and Massachusetts are also a part of the $100 million broadband stimulus application club. A total $7.2 billion has been allocated to the broadband-related economic recovery and stimulus programs established under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Governor Edward G. Rendell on August 24 announced that Pennsylvania has filed seven broadband grant applications totaling $108 million. Governor Rendell has high hopes for broadband. He claims expanding broadband access will ’save existing and create new jobs, help pull the state out of recession, spur advances in science, health and education, and provide long-term benefits in rural and urban communities...’

City of Monrovia to seek WiFi network in broadband stimulus

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Monrovia CA and Champion WiFi, a Subsidiary of Champion Broadband, have partnered to apply for $2.7 million in stimulus money to improve broadband penetration in the City.

This initiative would improve broadband penetration and public safety access by providing free Internet access to community anchor institutions and to the Monrovia Fire Department. The current broadband penetration rate is 35% in the City, well below the California average of 56%...

Ohio.gov | Recovery | Accountability | Estimated Funding by County

Estimated Funding by County

Choose the county you wish to view from the map or the following list of counties. All reports are in Adobe PDF...

Space plans to expand Internet service in area | chillicothegazette.com | Chillicothe Gazette

Congressman Zack Space, D-Dover, is hoping a recent grant application titled "Connecting Appalachia Broadband Plan" can help bring high-speed Internet service to underserved rural areas in Appalachia.

Space's plan would expand the fiber optic network that makes up the Southern Ohio Healthcare Network. Currently, local cable provider Horizon is working with the network to expand the system...

FairPoint gets on the broadband grant train - FierceTelecom

FairPoint may continue to struggle with operational and financial issues in its New England markets, but the service provider believes it could help extend broadband access to regions that have little, if any, broadband service.

The beleaguered service provider last week applied for $38 million in federal grants to enhance broadband service capabilities in the region. To date, FairPoint has filed five applications in New England in the first of three rounds of the $7.4 billion Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP)...

Attention broadband providers: There's gold behind that demarc point - FierceTelecom

There's been a lot of clamoring lately around how the speed of broadband should be defined in the U.S., and according to a Wall Street Journal article, the FCC is looking for clarity on how to define broadband as it drafts its new broadband plan for Congress.

Previously, the FCC had defined "high-speed Internet" as a service that could deliver, gasp, 200 Kbps. Last year, the FCC revised its definition of "basic broadband" to be a minimum 768 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps...

SkyTerra confirms filing for broadband stimulus funds to enable dual-mode wireless devices for public safety use

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SkyTerra today confirmed its filing on August 18, 2009, for broadband stimulus funds. The filing by SkyTerra Safety Access LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyTerra (OTCBB: SKYT) is with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

SkyTerra’s filing applied for funds from the NTIA’s Sustainable Adoption Program, part of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Stimulus Program, which seeks to provide funds that will increase broadband adoption in the United States. SkyTerra’s application will focus on increasing broadband adoption by the public safety community...

Rural areas pass on fast connections

LINCOLN — Most Nebraska and Iowa telephone companies, mirroring a national trend, appear to be taking a pass on seeking federal stimulus funds to extend and improve broadband Internet services in rural areas.

The $7.2 billion in funds were intended to expand high-speed services to underserved and unserved areas, and Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., was among those urging companies to apply...

Md. jurisdictions seek funds to expand broadband Internet access - washingtonpost.com

Montgomery, Prince George's and Howard counties and eight other Maryland jurisdictions are seeking $100 million in federal stimulus funds to expand their broadband Internet capabilities, an effort aimed at boosting productivity at local businesses and improving the emergency network for public safety agencies.

The 11 jurisdictions are seeking funds primarily to give schools, libraries and government agencies greater access to online videos, teleconferencing and downloads through speedier high-capacity connections. The money also would be used to build dedicated phone and data lines for public safety use during a disaster, an attempt to avert the communications problems experienced in New York and Washington during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001...

Stimulus money sought for fiber optic project

Work on the countywide fiber optic project could begin this fall, but before that happens, those working on the project have to figure out how to pay for it.

OneCommunity, the Cleveland-based nonprofit that has been working on the project since December, will apply for federal stimulus money to pay for up to $1.9 million of the $8.3 million project. The rest of the money likely will come from bonds, those associated with the project say...

Columbiana Port Authority seeks fiber funds

EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio -- Funds needed to finish the last mile of the fiber optic network linking Mahoning and Columbiana counties are hard to come by, but the Columbiana County Port Authority is following two avenues for federal funding.

The port authority is included in applications from OneCommunity, a Cleveland nonprofit organization that deals primarily with health groups, and the Southern Ohio Health Care Network, based in Athens, that seek federal stimulus dollars through the Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program. Should either entity be awarded money, the port authority would be in line to receive funds to help secure the $2.7 million it needs to finish the network, said its CEO, Tracy Drake...

The challenges of city-built information networks | Planetizen

When Lafayette, Louisiana set out to build a high-speed fiber optic data network, legal challenges caused major delays. Other cities are likely to experience the same issues as they try to expand their information infrastructure.

Lafayette eventually did get its fiber optic network built, but doing it alone can be a challenge...

Broadband stimulus — In trouble already? « Work, Wine and Wheels

The past couple of weeks has seen some bad news regarding expanding broadband in this country. Major carriers have washed their hands of the stimulus plan and its funds. Qwest, AT&T, Verizon and Comcast say they will not be participating due to requirements that come with the funds. Sean Buckley of Fierce Telecom has a good take here.

The NTIA and USDA have said after the first round of grants they may be open to changes, and the FCC is fighting back on the PR front. They’ve launched their own blog — Blogband, kinda catchy I must say — and started a Twitter stream, http://twitter.com/fccdotgov. It’s no surprise that Genachowski seems to “get” social media channels, having been an Obama pal at Harvard...

Information Policy: U.S.: Rural broadband = more jobs, better salaries

Is broadband access good for rural America? In case there were any doubts, the Department of Agriculture put them to rest in a new report. The study contends that rural counties in the United States that embraced broadband adoption at the start of this decade enjoy access to more jobs than those that did not. Their residents also make more money than their less-connected counterparts.

"Wage and salary jobs, as well as number of proprietors, grew faster in counties with early broadband Internet access," the survey concludes. "Nonfarm earnings showed greater growth corresponding to broadband availability." But large chunks of rural America still have a ways to go. Only 41 percent of rural households had broadband access in 2008, the USDA says, as opposed to 55 percent nationally. And adoption rates still lag behind cities, with a "marked difference" between urban and rural use. Only 70 percent of rural households with access to broadband embraced it in 2007, the report says, as opposed to 84 percent of city dwellers...

Is three weeks enough time for NTIA/RUS to Pick winners?

So the deadline for submitting applications for the first chunk of money from the broadband stimulus programs is basically today. NTIA and RUS have also announced that they're giving themselves a Sept 14th deadline for when they're going to unveil the finalists who made it through the first round of vetting. At this point they'll accept input from governors to help determine which projects in a state to fund.

But let's pause for a moment and consider something: is three weeks enough time to read let alone vet let alone weigh the relative merits of what is almost certainly hundreds of applications? Because between today and Sept 14th that's basically all the time that's left...

Recovery Act: WildBlue takes its shot - Telecom News Analysis

WildBlue Communications is going after a $30 million slice of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) money to help subsidize satellite broadband connections for about 10,000 homes in Colorado and Wyoming and another 10,000 in Arizona that are out of reach of high-speed cable, fiber, and DSL lines.

About $15 million of that sum would go toward the Colorado/Wyoming effort, with the rest earmarked for the Arizona project...

Recovery Act: Hospitals want a slice - Telecom News Analysis

Now that the application period for the first round of funding for broadband stimulus projects from the Recovery Act is almost done, the sheer diversity of bids is becoming apparent, even if the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is still apparently wrestling with what "broadband" actually means.

In a public notice issued Thursday, the FCC is looking to refine the definition(s) of the term "broadband" that extend beyond its current (and simple) designation of at least 768 kbit/s downstream by 200 kbit/s upstream. The government body wants your comments on a refined definition. (See FCC: Help Us Define Broadband ...

FCC seeks to define broadband | John Paczkowski | Digital Daily | AllThingsD

Before the Federal Communications Commission begins doling out the $7.4 billion in federal grants up for grabs through national broadband stimulus programs, the agency must answer an important question: What is broadband? And so, in a public notice issued today, the Commission is requesting “tailored” public comment on what the definition of broadband should be.

That might seem an inane question, coming from the FCC, but when you think about it, it has never really been answered, not even by broadband carriers, which would undoubtedly prefer that the term be ambiguous enough to allow for all manner of throughput/delivered speeds, usage caps, and latency. So it’s a good time to ask it. As senior adviser Carlos Kirjner explains in a post to the FCC blog today...

Why Washington won’t give consumers the broadband they want

The Federal Communication Commission yesterday afternoon released a notice of its open meeting to be held next Thursday. The two most significant items planned for the meeting is an attempt to gather more information on competition in the wireless industry and a request for help in defining broadband for the national broadband plan. The latter item is explained in detail in the FCC blog post...

FCC seeks 'broadband' definition - InternetNews.com

WASHINGTON -- U.S. telecommunications regulators on Thursday sought public comment on how to define "broadband," a step that could impact how the industry delivers Internet services to consumers.

The Federal Communications Commission issued a fact-finding notice on its Web site seeking the public's input as it drafts a national broadband plan that is slated to be submitted to Congress in mid-February...

Broadband makes farms productive | 901am

Anyone who thinks newfangled city-slicker high-speed Internet is of no use to Farmer Joe has got another thing coming. A new report from the US Department of Agriculture shows that farms with broadband Internet connections are far more productive than their dialup and offline counterparts. From learning new farming techniques to discovering new produce markets, it’s easy to see why.

Encouraging rural broadband deployment is part of the reason the Obama administration is offering a $4.7 billion broadband stimulus package...

NTIA extends broadband grant application deadline - FierceTelecom

The wait to see who will get money in the first round of the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) broadband stimulus grants will soon be over as the agency said it plans to announce who received grants "no earlier" than Sept. 14. In addition, the NTIA has extended the deadline for applicants to submit supporting materials. Bids for this first slice of broadband funding were due last night, a date the NTIA pushed out from the initial deadline of Aug. 14.

Although applicants still had to get their bids in by yesterday afternoon, the NTIA in an effort to "minimize issues" said it will still accept supporting documents by postmark, hand delivery or electronic form until Aug. 24. Issuing applications electronically has been fraught with technical issues. When the NTIA announces who the finalist applicants are, the other applicants will be examined by the government of the respective state that wants to use the funds for a broadband project. From there, the NTIA will begin awarding grants in November. By the end of December, NTIA said the first round of awards would be completed...

Stimulus bids seek wider Net - The Denver Post

A public-private partnership of Internet service providers, schools, libraries and other groups Thursday sought $180 million in federal stimulus funds to expand broadband services at dozens of community institutions across Colorado.

The Colorado Community Anchors Broadband Consortium would use the money to build a network that could provide high-speed Internet service to 178 school districts, 26 libraries and 12 educational-services cooperatives that span 63 counties...

Web site begins collecting data from stimulus grant recipients - washingtonpost.com

As Obama administration officials traveled the country this week announcing the distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars in new economic stimulus grants, a government Web site began accepting the spending and jobs data from grant recipients that will provide the first fact-based progress report about the economic recovery efforts.

By mid-October, the government plans to post information from stimulus money recipients online, allowing the public to review the data. President Obama promised unprecedented transparency as he built support for the stimulus package this year, saying that anyone would be able to track each dollar...

Level 3 seeks stimulus grants for extending broadband - Denver Business Journal:

Level 3 Communications Inc., unlike Qwest and some other telecoms, is seeking federal stimulus money being offered to expand the reach of high-speed Internet to areas where such access is scarce or non-existent.

Broomfield-based Level 3 (NASDAQ: LVLT) has applied for $15 million in stimulus grants from agencies within the U.S. departments of Commerce and Agriculture...

NTIA reports to Congress on broadband stimulus programs | Telecompetitor

In the wake of experiencing a greater than expected volume of grant applications for the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, the National Telecommunications & Information Administration on August 17 submitted its first quarterly report to Congress.

As set out in the ARRA, BTOP grants are to be awarded to shovel-ready broadband projects. Completed applications filed by the August 20 deadline will be reviewed by at least three expert reviewers against established criteria, according to the NTIA, which has been busy selecting and preparing reviewers. Application scores are to be averaged, with the best qualified applications forwarded for further consideration. Results of the initial review phase are expected no earlier than September 14, 2009, according to the report...

Broadband stimulus: A view from the trenches

Friday marks the final day for electronic applications to be submitted for the first tranche of $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus funding. As Stacey has noted, after being given just 45 days to get their applications together, many have opted to wait until the second and third tranches to hand them in. And of those she’s talked to that have submitted applications, the lion’s share have been wireless providers.

However, based on interactions with our wireline customers here at Calix, to whom we provide broadband service delivery equipment, we’re confident that they shouldn’t be discounted just yet. Nearly 100 of our wireline service provider customers or their representative consulting firms have either asked us to issue recommendation letters on their behalf, or have made us aware of their stimulus proposal submissions in this first ”window.” These proposals have ranged in size from a few hundred thousand dollars to more than half a billion dollars. Average proposal size? Well over $10 million...

TDS applies for broadband stimulus funding to serve the North Fork

After months of anticipation and weeks of hard work and application preparation, TDS Telecommunications Corp. (TDSTM) submitted 13 applications for broadband funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The company applied to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for funding to expand broadband services to thousands of unserved, rural customers in nine states, including customers at Delta County Tele-Com in Crawford, Hotchkiss, Paonia and Somerset.

"TDS is optimistic our success record with the Rural Utility Service (the USDA department administering the funds) and our demonstrated abilities to deploy broadband quickly will help us secure the funding," says Andrew Petersen, director of external affairs and communications for TDS Telecommunications Corp...

Organization requests stimulus funds for middle-mile fiber and a data center | News | DatacenterDynamics - No.1 global data center events

OpenCape, a non-profit organization that is planning a large middle-mile broadband network project to connect many residential customers and public institutions in Massachusetts, has applied for a U.S. federal grant to fund the construction. The grant program is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 – also referred to as the economic stimulus package. The Act set aside $7.2 billion in funding for development of broadband infrastructure in the U.S.

Along with laying about 350 miles of fiber-optic cable on Cape Cod, adjacent islands and southeastern Massachusetts, OpenCape – the non-profit – is planning to build a regional colocation data center for both private and government customers. The $40 million project also includes plans for a microwave backhaul network to provide network redundancy for emergency service communications. RCN Metro Optical Networks, a division of RCN Corporation, will build and operate the network if funding is secured...

Big ISPs on sidelines for broadband grants - InternetNews.com

The application deadline for the first round of funding for projects under the broadband stimulus program has come and gone with barely a flicker of interest from the country's largest Internet service providers.

The nation's four largest ISPs have each confirmed to InternetNews.com that they don't intend to apply for any of the $7.2 billion for broadband projects set aside in the economic stimulus package, particularly if some of the conditions attached to the first portion of the money remain unchanged...

New England eyes recovery funds - Telecom News Analysis

Massachusetts wants in on some of the broadband stimulus money in the Recovery Act.

The city of Boston has asked for $15 million in stimulus funding to support a new Boston Broadband Network, according to local reports. The city wants to boost access in underserved areas, develop public computing centers, and put in place a sustainable development program for broadband...

Broadband projects emerge « Tech/Policy/Advisory

As the first funding deadline for broadband stimulus arrives Thursday, August 20, observers say it’s hard to predict what types of grant applications will be submitted, and who will emerge as the players behind the projects, according to Government Technology.

Sunne Wright McPeak, president of the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) — a nonprofit that is organizing groups to apply for broadband stimulus money and is providing partial matching funds — said this week she expects most applicants from the state to be smaller telecommunications companies. The CETF reached out to larger firms, but McPeak said they weren’t interested...

Montana PSC asks Qwest to apply for stimulus funds

The Montana Public Service Commission wants Qwest (News - Alert) to take another look at applying for broadband stimulus funds for rural Montana. Qwest could apply for funds under the National Telecommunications & Information Administration portion of the program, but not likely any of the Rural Utilities Service portion of the program, for reasons relating to the way RUS defines eligibility.

Qwest also is worried that strings attached to the receipt of funds, such as mandatory wholesale rules, might seriously affect its payback model in the short term, and open the way to wholesale obligations for all of its operations long term...

Boston seeking government funding for broadband stimulus proposals - 2009-08-20 15:00:54 EDT | Broadcasting & Cable

Boston is seeking $15 million in funding from the government for three broadband stimulus proposals it says are meant to "bridge the digital divide" and expand its municipal network from city buildings out into the community, where it hopes to offer free broadband access to "underserved" communities.

The city says it will put up $4.2 million of its own money as well for the three programs: a Boston Broadband Network, a public computing center and a Sustainable Adoption Program.

ComScore: Rural broadband penetration rate growing - FierceTelecom

Market research firm comScore reported that broadband penetration in rural markets is growing at a faster rate than it is in larger metro markets--about 16 percent to 11 percent over the last two years. Still, the overall rural penetration rate of 75 percent remains well below the national mark of about 89 percent, according to comScore.

Broadband stimulus funds would then seem to be a very timely addition to teh rural markets, a factor that to help the broadband penetration rate maintain and increase its momentum...

Broadband Internet’s value for rural America

As broadband—or high-speed—Internet use has spread, Internet applications requiring high transmission speeds have become an integral part of the “Information Economy,” raising concerns about those who lack broadband access. This report analyzes (1) rural broadband use by consumers, the community-at-large, and businesses; (2) rural broadband availability; and (3) broadband’s social and economic effects on rural areas.

It also summarizes results from an ERS-sponsored workshop on rural broadband use, and other ERS-commissioned studies. In general, rural communities have less broadband Internet use than metro communities, with differing degrees of broadband availability across rural communities. Rural communities that had greater broadband Internet access had greater economic growth, which conforms to supplemental research on the benefits that rural businesses, consumers, and communities ascribe to broadband Internet use...

Broadband stimulus applications stretch from 700 MHz to 3.65 GHz - FierceWireless

As the broadband stimulus deadline looms, businesses and cities spanning the country are rushing to file applications requesting millions of dollars for broadband network deployments. Among the latest wireless filers are SkyTerra and KeyOn.

The deadline for broadband stimulus applications is tomorrow, and it's likely that the list of entities filing for funding will grow dramatically as that date passes. Up for grabs is a total of $7.2 billion in funding, part of the government's $787 billion economic recovery imitative...

Diverse reviewers sought for broadband stimulus grants | Black Web 2.0

The federal government is looking for reviewers to help ensure stimulus money earmarked for broadband projects goes to the right places. $7.2 billion was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to boost broadband growth in underserved areas. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a division of the Department of Commerce, is overseeing grants from organizations and communities seeking funds from the stimulus package.

The call for reviewers is to help ensure an ethnically and geographically diverse pool of people can look at the programs, and is a great opportunity for experts of color to propose programs that can reduce the digital divide...

Broadband plan needs to address demand, advocates say - PC World

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission must find ways to address demand for broadband, as well as supply, when drafting a national plan, several advocates told commission staff members Wednesday.

Broadband providers suggest that less than 10 percent of U.S. residents don't have access to broadband. But 37 percent of U.S. adults don't subscribe to broadband, according to a survey released in June by the Pew Internet & American Life Project...

Broadband plan needs to address demand, advocates say - PC World

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission must find ways to address demand for broadband, as well as supply, when drafting a national plan, several advocates told commission staff members Wednesday.

Broadband providers suggest that less than 10 percent of U.S. residents don't have access to broadband. But 37 percent of U.S. adults don't subscribe to broadband, according to a survey released in June by the Pew Internet & American Life Project...

Hill receives NTIA broadband report

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration transmitted its second quarterly status report to Congress this week highlighting steps being taken to effectively advance the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program that was created as part of the economic stimulus package. The paper, which is dated Aug. 17 but was released publicly Wednesday, focuses on the release of the first notice of funds available; public outreach initiatives; preparations to accept and evaluate applications; and other steps to improve NTIA's organizational readiness.

Up to $1.6 billion in BTOP funds will be available in the first grant round and NTIA is authorized to spend up to $141 million for administrative expenses through Sept. 30, 2010. The agency has hired approximately 80 percent of the federal staff planned for the program, the report stated. To assist with acquisition support, NTIA also entered into an interagency agreement with a division of the Interior Department and on Aug. 3 issued a contract to Booz Allen Hamilton for program development and administrative services. NTIA will provide its next quarterly report to Congress no later than Nov. 16...

Time Warner to air shows on YouTube - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

Clips from CNN, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim will be played on YouTube in a new agreement.

San Bruno-based YouTube, a unit of Mountain View-based Google Inc. (NADSAQ:GOOG) will share advertising revenue with Time Warner Inc. as part of the deal...

Can't meet the broadband stimulus extended deadline? There's still hope — WIMAX

As thousands of organizations wrap up their applications in hopes of securing their piece of the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus funding, there are thousands more that are finding themselves unable to meet the application deadline. Even after the deadline was extended from August 14 to August 20, many WISPs, service providers and operators still struggled to pull together the extensive applications and meet all the requirements necessary to apply. And unfortunately, many of these organizations believe that they are missing out on their only opportunity to seek funding for their broadband networks. If you or your organization have missed the deadline, fear not - there are still a lot of options for securing funding for your networks.

As anyone who has reviewed the application process for securing stimulus funds knows, the process is quite lengthy and requires a good deal of resources to complete. And given the relatively short period of time between when applications were open and the deadline, it is no wonder that many organizations had difficulty pulling together all of the information, network designs, approvals/certifications, etc. required in order to apply on time. But it is important to keep in mind that this is not the only deadline for federal broadband stimulus funding - and it is equally important to realize that the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus money is not the only funding available for broadband networks...

No consensus as deadline comes for broadband stimulus applications

As the first funding deadline for broadband stimulus arrives Thursday, Aug. 20, observers say it's hard to predict what types of grant applications will be submitted, and who will emerge as the players behind the projects.

Sunne Wright McPeak, president of the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) -- a nonprofit that is organizing groups to apply for broadband stimulus money and is providing partial matching funds -- said this week she expects most applicants from the state to be smaller telecommunications companies. The CETF reached out to larger firms, but McPeak said they weren't interested...

FCC probes demand side of broadband debate - InternetNews.com

As it continues its series of meetings working toward a national broadband plan, the Federal Communications Commission this morning considered what to some is the most important, and overlooked, aspect of the broadband debate: adoption.

Much of the discussion about how to bridge the digital divide has focused on how to spur new build-outs of faster, farther-reaching networks. But the demand-side question remains: If you build it, will they come...?

Broadband stimulus fuels net neutrality debate: Acme Packet

The availability of federal dollars for broadband Internet proliferation in the United States is fueling talk about so-called “net neutrality,” officials with a Burlington, Mass.-based provider of session border control solutions told TMCnet in an interview.

According to Kevin Mitchell, director of wireless solutions marketing at Acme Packet, Inc., the federally funded broadband stimulus projects have stimulated debate surrounding one divisive part of net neutrality – itself loaded issue – and that's the question of how to handle data-heavy applications that potentially could affect the quality of the network...

KeyOn files applications for $150 million of federal broadband stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

OMAHA, Neb., Aug 19, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- KeyOn Communications Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB:KEYO), one of the largest providers of wireless broadband, satellite video and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services in the United States, announced today it has submitted multiple applications for federal funding through the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP), as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Of the $7.2 billion allocated for broadband infrastructure in the ARRA, $2.5 billion is administered by the Rural Utilities Service for specific deployment of broadband networks
and related infrastructure in rural, unserved and underserved communities across the U.S. If successful under this program, KeyOn's existing wireless networks, which currently cover approximately 2.5 million people, would be expanded to cover as many as 16 states, and provide wireless broadband access to as many as 6.5 million people...

ALA Office for Information Technology Policy files broadband stimulus application

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Library Association (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) today filed an application to the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), requesting $1,644,785 from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to fund a project to develop a set of resources to help librarians manage and plan broadband capacity.

The ability to plan for and manage broadband services successfully is essential for today’s 21st century libraries, which face rapidly increasing demand for broadband-based services from their communities. By contrast, most librarians are not well prepared to serve as network managers and broadband capacity planners...

USDA study documents rural broadband benefits

Ask doctors what makes people healthy, and they’ll say eat your fruits and vegetables. Ask the experts what makes a rural community healthy, and the answer now squarely includes broadband. A new study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture documents Broadband Internet’s Value for Rural America.

The findings will hardly come as a surprise: Employment growth is higher and non-farm earnings greater in rural counties with a longer history of broadband availability. The study says that 70% of rural households with Internet service connect via broadband. The report also spotlights well-known deployment obstacles, such as low population size and widely dispersed populations over demanding terrain, that have proven stubborn barriers to sustainable, cost-effective broadband deployment in remote areas...

FCC to blog, tweet on broadband plan - Telecom News Wire

WASHINGTON -- To stimulate public dialogue over the development of a National Broadband Plan, the Federal Communications Commission is launching a new blog, called “Blogband.” The blog will chronicle the development of the plan and invite readers to comment.

“To foster public dialogue about the National Broadband Plan, we’re tapping the power of the Internet to launch a new FCC blog,’’ FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski wrote in the blog’s first post. “Blogband will keep people up-to-date about the work the FCC is doing and the progress we’re making. But we want it to be a two-way conversation. The feedback, ideas, and discussions generated on this blog will be critical in developing the best possible National Broadband Plan...”

What can broadband do for you? | Speed Matters – Internet Speed Test

Doug Adams, Director of Marketing at the Knight Center for Digital Excellence, broke it down in a recent article explaining what broadband stimulus funds will do for members of our community.

Adams says that doctors and nurses will once again provide home visits , 'only now they will be 'virtual' visits. They'll be able to check on patients' blood pressure via remote electronic devices, and assess patients' conditions via cameras connected to television screens in their homes...'

Minnesota and Wisconsin continue to push for broadband | Speed Matters – Internet Speed Test

Many people in Minnesota and Wisconsin can access the Internet. But, as many experts have shown, there are still issues, namely: speed, quality, reliability, and affordability of their connections.

Take the Carson family of Little Marais, Minnesota. Two years ago, David and Denise Carlson upgraded from dial-up to wireless mobile broadband through a cellular network...

SkyTerra intends to file for broadband stimulus funds to enable dual-mode wireless devices for public safety use

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SkyTerra Safety Access LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyTerra (OTCBB:SKYT), intends to file an application today with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

SkyTerra will apply for funds from the NTIA’s Sustainable Adoption Program, part of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Stimulus Program, which seeks to provide funds that will increase broadband adoption in the United States. SkyTerra’s application will focus on increasing broadband adoption by the public safety community...

Leap applies for stimulus funds as big carriers pass | Wireless - CNET News

Big Internet service providers don't seem to be interested in applying for federal stimulus funds, but smaller players like Leap Wireless are looking at the grant program as an opportunity to provide wireless service to underserved populations.

Prepaid wireless carrier Cricket Communications, which is owned by Leap Wireless, on Monday filed an application with the nonprofit organization One Economy for $8.6 million to help it expand a program called Project Change Access. This project, which launched last fall in Portland, Ore., has helped low income residents get online to improve their access to education, job training programs, health care, and social assistance, according to Leap...

Broadband stimulus applications max out federal bandwidth - Aug. 18, 2009

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Wiring the nation for high-speed Internet access is an ambitious plan...so ambitious that the the government's servers slowed to a crawl last week from the influx of interest.

Such a high number of broadband companies submitted online applications right before the initial Aug. 14 deadline that the Department of Agriculture and Department of Commerce's servers were overwhelmed with the requests.

That prompted the administration to extend the application deadline for $4.7 billion of broadband stimulus grants until Aug. 20...

Obama's broadband plan: Who stands to win? | Technology | Financial Articles & Investing News | TheStreet.com

WASHINGTON (TheStreet) -- The tech sector has a fat pile of stimulus money coming its way.

The Obama administration is allocating $7.2 billion in stimulus money to boost U.S. broadband infrastructure, particularly in remote areas. The national broadband plan, which is being developed by the FCC, will be presented to Congress in February 2010, although there is already plenty of chatter about who the big winners will be...

Stimulus money sought for fiber optic project

Work on the countywide fiber optic project could begin this fall, but before that happens, those working on the project have to figure out how to pay for it.

OneCommunity, the Cleveland-based nonprofit that has been working on the project since December, will apply for federal stimulus money to pay for up to $1.9 million of the $8.3 million project. The rest of the money likely will come from bonds, those associated with the project say...

Intel, Dell, Fujitsu partner with nonprofit to increase low-income internet access | The Daily Tell

President Barack Obama has made it a national priority to offer broadband internet to homes across the country, authorizing a portion of the federal stimulus package to accomplish this goal.

In the pursuit of this aim, Intel, Dell and Fujitsu recently announced a partnership with nonprofit organization Connected Nation to offer deeply discounted computers and broadband internet access to low-income and unconnected households across the country...

U.S. broadband growth slowest in eight years | John Paczkowski | Digital Daily | AllThingsD

The U.S. government broadband stimulus program couldn’t have come along at a better time. Leichtman Research Group said Monday that the country’s 19 largest cable and telephone providers added a net 634,000 broadband subscribers during the second quarter of 2009 (see table below; click to enlarge). That’s 29 percent fewer than were added in the same period a year ago and the lowest number of net additions of any quarter in the last eight years.

The reasons for the decline? Seasonality, the econalypse and the maturation of the market. “The second quarter has proven to be traditionally weak for broadband growth, but with the market becoming more mature, broadband adds further waned,” Bruce Leichtman, LRG’s president and principal analyst, said in a statement...

Why aren't we talking more about price per Mbps?

Bridging the gap between the hot topics of broadband availability and adoption is that of affordability. Advocates across the spectrum of opinions point to the need to not just have broadband that's available but also that's affordable, and that a key factor to driving adoption is cost.

But unfortunately, most of the conversations surrounding affordability only deal with the overall cost of service, which skews this discussion in a couple of ways...

ESRI announces TMAP intro

ESRI, also known as the Environmental Systems Research Institute, reportedly announced the introduction of a new software and data package called Telecommunications Mapping and Analysis Package, which is said to help service providers and telecommunications companies analyze broadband market opportunities as they prepare to apply for federal broadband stimulus funding.

Officials at the company claimed TMAP helps interested agencies analyze cable and wire center data, and identify areas where broadband can be implemented, especially rural and remote areas that are unserved and underserved by high-speed Internet...

'Glamping' offers an upscale take on the great outdoors - washingtonpost.com

The idea of "roughing it" has taken on a new meaning.

The Coleman outdoors company sells air mattresses with built-in alarm clocks and night lights and tents outfitted with "integrated lighting systems" and auto-roll windows. For those who can't bear to be unplugged for any length of time, DirecTV has a portable satellite, and Kampgrounds of America offers wireless Internet at most of its campsites...

United States spending billions to become a broadband nation | Nation | NewJerseyNewsroom.com -- Your State. Your News.

With the state's help, an increasing number of residents in rural Washington County in Down East Maine are using high-speed Internet connections to run their blueberry farms and lobster fleets, educate their children and communicate with doctors from remote areas.

But it's a large county and its 34,000 residents are spread out: At twice the size of Rhode Island, it takes four hours to cross in a car, and yet there's only one traffic light. That means it's slow going for local Internet provider, Axiom Technologies, which is working town by town to set up wireless access points, sometimes serving as few as 12 households per connection.

Go short, the long haul is already covered | MuniWireless

When you look at pre-bid broadband stimulus grant requests, doesn’t it seem odd to you that so many rural areas are looking for long haul build outs? In most cases, grant applicants are looking only at private carrier assets and, if there is nothing available, they request grant assistance for a long haul connection.

Few grant applicants recognize the availability of greater distance wireless point-to-point technologies as noted in the MuniWireless article. Even this is minuscule compared to the tremendous amount of long haul assets available in public sector emergency communications, utility and transportation fiber optic and wireless networks facilities (including large amounts of unused wireless spectrum)...

U.S. broadband growth slowest in eight years - InternetNews.com

Today brought more bad news to those who fear that the U.S. is falling behind in broadband.

According to a new report by broadband, media and entertainment analyst firm Leichtman Research Group (LRG), the U.S. added a net 634,000 broadband subscribers during the second quarter of 2009...

San Francisco CIO yanks broadband stimulus application

As was to be expected, criticism of the broadband stimulus programs now includes the city of San Francisco, which says the rules on what an “underserved” area is prevent the city from applying for funds to serve some low-income areas.

Christopher Vein, chief information officer of the city of San Francisco says the city has prepared, but will not submit, an application for funds under the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Broadband Technology Opportunities Program...

Maryland counties, cities want $100M in stimulus funds to create regional broadband network - Baltimore Business Journal:

Ten Central Maryland counties and cities have applied for $100 million in federal stimulus money for a regional fiber-optic broadband network.

Howard County officials said Monday they submitted the One Maryland Broadband Plan on behalf of Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Harford, Carroll, Prince George’s, Montgomery and Frederick counties and the cities of Annapolis and Baltimore.

The plan calls for a network to interconnect more than 800 local government institutions so they can share information across one network. The institutions include public schools, libraries and public safety agencies...

Stimulus money marked for bringing broadband Internet to rural communities [Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Cheyenne]

Aug. 16--CHEYENNE -- Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, $7.2 billion has been made available for improving broadband Internet access across the country.

"The real purpose of the broadband stimulus money is to provide unserved and underserved areas (with broadband access)," Art Schmidt, telecommunications supervisor with the Wyoming Public Service Commission, said. About 20 percent of Wyoming residents do not have access to broadband, he said...

Cricket, One Economy seek to expand project change access in five cities - FierceWireless

SAN DIEGO - August 17, 2009 - Cricket Communications, Inc., a leading provider of unlimited wireless services and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ:LEAP), today announced the filing of an application for federal Recovery Act funding, in partnership with One Economy Corporation. The grant proposal would extend Project Change Access - an innovative program for affordable wireless broadband service - to low-income residents in five cities.

The proposal to the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration for a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant would build on the success of Project Change Access, launched in Portland, Ore., last fall as a pilot program by LCW Wireless and One Economy. LCW Wireless, a company in which Cricket owns a non-controlling interest, offers Cricket(r) unlimited service in Oregon markets. One Economy is a global non-profit organization that leverages the power of technology and information to connect low-income people to the economic mainstream...

Broadband stimulus and the underserved - BusinessWeek

Christopher Vein, chief information officer of the city of San Francisco, has some inventive ways to bring high-speed Internet access to areas of the city barely reached by broadband. He's marshaled donated PCs and equipment and tapped excess capacity on the city's fiber-optic network to give inner-city residents a fast connection to the Web and bring state-of-the-art health care to a clinic in one of San Francisco's least privileged neighborhoods. In many ways, Vein is just getting warmed up; he has even bigger plans.

But as outsize as his ambitions may be, Vein won't be in line for one of the government's grandest plans for bringing broadband into underserved parts of the country. At least for now, San Francisco is holding off on applying for a grant under the federal government's $4.7 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, designed to encourage broadband development around the country...

Level 3 eyeing stimulus funding

Not all large national telecom carriers are backing away from applying for broadband stimulus money as Qwest did last week. Level 3 Communications (NASDAQ: LVLT) will participate in the applying for the first round of stimulus funding, the deadline for which was extended to this week.

Edward Morche, senior vice president of the Federal Markets Group for Level 3 Communications, said last week that his company would partner with cable companies, LECs, wireless providers or state and local governments in seeking to offer broadband access in unserved and underserved areas, building off its national network...

Verizon offers free netbooks with BlackBerry tour - PC World

Verizon Wireless is again offering a second BlackBerry with each one purchased, but this time the deal includes any other device -- of equal or lesser value -- that Verizon sells.

That means new subscribers, or those signing new two-year contracts, can get a free netbook with a BlackBerry Tour smartphone. The Tour costs US$199.99 after Verizon's rebate, and the least-expensive netbook Verizon sells is the HP Mini 1151 NR, also priced at $199.99. Those customers could also get any USB, PC Card or ExpressCard modem the carrier offers...

Year-old Columbus IT firm helps doctors organize their paperwork.

Keeping track of paperwork at a doctor's office is no easy task, but a Columbus-based information technology company has developed a system it says helps keeps medical records better organized.

Using a Web-based system, Updox's application provides physicians a single platform on which they can store and share documents...

Hey FCC: Stop ignoring municipal broadband!

The FCC's workshop on broadband deployment featured speakers from across the spectrum of broadband providers, except for one notable omission: they didn't have a single representative from a municipal broadband deployer.

To give them some credit they did include a couple of non-traditional providers who started as public non-profits and eventually evolved into private for-profit operations--namely Hiawatha Broadband Corporation and LARIAT. But in terms of having representation from a city that built it's own broadband network, they had nothing...

Deadline extended for broadband stimulus applicants

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is extending the deadline for online applications for the first round of spending on broadband infrastructure by about a week, delays attributed to an inability of the agency’s servers to handle the high volume of applicants so far.

The original deadline for online applications was today; it is now Aug. 20. Paper applications were still due by today...

Surplus of applicants for federal broadband stimulus money triggers a delay | Tech Policy & Law News - Betanews

Everybody is scrambling for his or her broadband stimulus money.

5:00 p.m. EDT today was scheduled to be the deadline for funding applications under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but because of overwhelming traffic on the government's servers, the deadline has been extended to next Thursday, August 20...

Broadband stimulus: D-day arrives, criticism mounts

With applications for broadband stimulus funds due today, or Aug. 20, depending on whether applications are in paper or electronic form, some likely outcomes are that major communications service providers will have taken a pass on applying, and even most small, rural companies will do likewise.

The major providers have any number of objections, mostly related to strings attached to receipt of funds, it appears. Smaller providers in rural areas said the rules prevent them from applying. Others complain that the application process itself is too complex...

Strategic alliance to support initiatives funded through broadband stimulus funds that will educate and empower Hispanics, other minorities

ATLANTA, GA - Partners for Digital Equality(TM) (PDE), The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and The National Hispanic University (NHU), a HACU member higher learning institution, today announced a strategic alliance to support initiatives funded through broadband stimulus funds that will educate and empower Hispanics, other minorities, women, and the underserved in the communities surrounding HACU member institutions.

“This announcement represents a significant leap forward in our roll-out of programming for Hispanic audiences across the nation,” said Partners for Digital Equality Chairman Julius H. Hollis (Mr. Hollis is also Chairman of The Alliance for Digital Equality(TM), a 501(c) 4 consumer advocacy organization). “There’s great strength in partnerships and we could not have selected better allies to help extend our reach into the educational sector...”

Broadband stimulus gets first-round extension until Aug. 20 - 2009-08-14 10:50:42 EDT | Multichannel News

The two federal agencies administering the $7.2 billion broadband stimulus program have extended the deadline for the first round of grant applications to Aug. 20, in part because of heavy volume.

The initial round of the broadband programs, a $7.2 billion initiative carved out of the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus package, had set a deadline of 5 p.m. on Aug 14 for applications. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service are administering the plans. The initial round was mainly for last mile and middle mile projects in unserved and underserved areas of the country...

Will wireless be the broadband stimulus winner?

Today is the due date for municipalities and companies to apply via mail for a piece of the $4 billion being released in the first tranche of the broadband stimulus program, (those filing electronically get another week to get their applications through clogged servers). Roughly half of the folks I’ve interviewed have decided to wait for the second and third rounds of funding before applying. Moreover, it appears that wireless is winning out over wireline.

Glenn S. Richards, a partner with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, had eight clients that planned to apply as of last week, but said today that only three of them were able to pull together their submissions in time. Of them, one application is for sustainable adoption (by a wireless provider) and two are for broadband infrastructure projects (one wireless and one wireline). Others who counsel municipalities say their clients were hard-pressed to make this deadline as well, so will wait for the next rounds. The first round of grants has been a somewhat rushed process because the full $7.2 billion in stimulus funds is supposed to be allocated by September of next year. The rules governing the first round came out on July 1, giving applicants 45 days to get their applications together...

Broadband stimulus a no-go for big carriers -- Broadband -- InformationWeek

The first moment of truth for the Obama Administration's $4.7 billion grants to be awarded under the Broadband Stimulus Plan is scheduled for Friday, but don't look for the big broadband players to participate.

AT&T (NYSE: T), Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA), and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Communications aren't expected to participate, at least not in this first round, for a variety of reasons. The companies aren't talking publically, but acceptance of government funds could stymie the providers' stances in major issues such as net neutrality and executive compensation...

Fiber dominates discussions at FCC broadband deployment workshop

I have to admit suffering from a fair amount of trepidation heading into yesterday's FCC workshop on broadband deployment. As an advocate for fiber, I worried that we'd end up seeing another discussion where the desire to be technology neutral obfuscates a more specific, concrete discussion about what our nation's broadband infrastructure needs.

So needless to say, I was pleased as punch when what happened instead was a conversation dominated by fiber...

Qwest won’t seek stimulus money now

Qwest Communications will not apply for first-round federal stimulus funds earmarked for expanding broadband Internet access to unserved and underserved areas of the country. “We could not make a business case for applying,” Qwest spokesman Ted Wietecha said.

The company gave no details Wednesday on why it decided to not apply. But the company noted a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack from USTelecom, an industry group, which criticized terms set out for dispensing funds by the Agriculture Department’s Rural Utilities Service...

CIty, county waiting to apply for broadband stimulus

Delaware County and city have committed to moving forward with plans to install an expanded countywide system of high-speed Internet fiber-optic wire, but how will they pay for it?

Officials mentioned the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as a prime possibility. However, the city and county will be sitting on the sidelines as the first $4 billion in stimulus money meant to expand the country’s broadband Internet access is doled out...

Intel, Dell join nonprofit to bring cheap Internet svc to poor

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Intel Corp. (INTC), Dell Inc. (DELL), and Fujitsu Ltd. (FJTSY) are among the new partners with the nonprofit group Connected Nation to put computers and cheap Internet service into low-income homes, the parties announced Thursday.

The coalition of high-tech manufacturing companies and Connected Nation is on the verge of submitting a $24 million grant proposal to the government to cover some of the costs ...

Knoxville, TN | Counties lining up for shot at broadband stimulus cash

More than $7 billion worth of federal stimulus money could make getting online a lot easier and faster for East Tennesseans in rural areas.

The application deadline for a piece of that cash is Friday and many communities in our area have thrown their names in for that money. It's all part of a portion of the bill designed to bring broadband internet to underserved areas...

Flush with cash and fearing tighter rules, major carriers shun broadband stimulus - washingtonpost.com

The Obama administration made a national priority of spreading high-speed Internet access to every American home and offered stimulus money to help companies pay for it, but the biggest network operators are staying away from the program.

As the Aug. 20 deadline nears to apply for $4.7 billion in broadband grants, AT&T, Verizon and Comcast are unlikely to go for the stimulus money, sources close to the companies said...

Broadband stimulus: Application deadline now Aug. 20 : First round of paperwork originally was due today

Maybe all that speculation that few organizations would make the Aug. 14 broadband stimulus application deadline was bogus.

Turns out, so many companies and other entities are trying to submit their documents by tomorrow’s cut-off times that government servers can’t keep up...

Recovery Act: Deadline extended - Telecom News Analysis

The deadline for applying for the first round of broadband stimulus money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has just been extended to Aug. 20, as long as interested parties start their electronic application by 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. Word of the extension was posted on the Broadband USA Website Thursday afternoon.

The original Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) said the application period for the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) would run from July 14 to the end of the business day tomorrow. Many operators, vendors, and local government bodies had said it would be hard to hit such a tight deadline. (See Small Wireless Firms Get Set for Recovery Funds...)

Broadband stimulus: "Too much" focus on "un-served and underserved"?

The first round of applications for over $7 billion in broadband stimulus funding is due Aug. 14, 2009, and the initiative already is starting to "feel" like the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and VoIP.

A burst of initial wild optimism on the part of "small guys" that they could become "big guys" is followed by dashing of those hopes by the realities of a scale-based business that doesn't favor too many "big guys..."

Slow servers extend deadline for broadband stimulus bucks

Folks applying online for some of the $4 billion in broadband stimulus funds available in the first round of grants have a little breathing room thanks to the government servers hitting a wall. It’s not clear what department is running the servers, but like any company offering a highly popular download can tell you, getting a ton of hits can slow those processor cycles considerably. Good thing the government is thinking about cloud computing.

The deadline, originally scheduled at 5 p.m. ET tomorrow, has been extended to Aug. 20 for folks trying to submit their applications electronically. Those sending in paper don’t get such a reprieve. From the notice on BroadbandUSA.gov...

BTOP/BIP deadline extended to Aug. 20

UPDATE: The application closing deadline for the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) is extended until 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on August 20, 2009, for any electronic applications pending as of 5 p.m. ET on August 14, 2009. There are no changes to the filing instructions for paper applications.

Connected Nation partners with technology leaders to apply for broadband stimulus funds to connect more U.S. households

Washington, DC (Vocus/PRWEB ) August 13, 2009 -- Connected Nation, a national nonprofit, is joining with technology stalwarts Intel, Fujitsu, Velocity Micro, and ZT Systems to establish Every Citizen OnlineSM, a public-private partnership program to enable computer ownership and broadband use in low-income and unconnected homes. The program will help vulnerable populations overcome top barriers to adoption: broadband awareness and training, computer ownership, and broadband affordability. In order to impact the most Americans, the partnership has submitted an application for Every Citizen OnlineSM to take advantage of Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) funding set aside for Sustainable Broadband Adoption as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

"Connected Nation is honored and excited to partner with technology leaders to directly impact the lives of Americans who previously could not afford a broadband-connected computer in their homes," states Brian Mefford, Connected Nation's chairman and CEO. "Our work allows us to see first hand the value of connected computers in homes. Broadband opens a world of opportunities related to jobs, education, health care, and government services..."

Broadband stimulus: After Friday deadline, waiting begins

Friday is D-Day for the communications companies and other entities hoping to snag some of the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus funding. But how many will actually make the deadline? There’s been precious little time between the release of the requirements and this, the first of three application-submission deadlines. The other two dates have yet to be announced. Nonetheless, there will be parties that do get their documents in by Aug. 14 and others that receive deadline waivers up to Sept. 1. The question is, what comes next?

The short answer is: waiting. Each application must undergo evaluation; depending on how many companies and organizations apply, it’s unclear how long that will take. The only fuzzy timeline by which to operate is that the government aims to announce winners some time in November. RUS and NTIA then plan to distribute the appropriate funds no more than 30 days later...

Plans for fast links in rural areas due - USATODAY.com

Proposals are due Friday for the first of three rounds of funding for federal broadband stimulus projects aimed at driving broadband into underserved parts of America. Already, there's a lot of griping about the $7.2 billion program. At the top of the list: red tape and application rules, which run several hundred pages in length.

The program, ordered by Congress, is part of President Obama's plan for reinvigorating the economy...

Overcoming N.M.’s digital divide: More federal broadband money involves both pros and cons

The state of Maine gives out about $1 million about every 10 months to help its residents get high-speed Internet connections, reports stateline.org today.

The media outlet notes that states across the country have pursued similar efforts in recent years. But their scale will pale in comparison to the $7.2 billion in stimulus money the federal government has committed over the next two years to improve high-speed Internet connections around the country...

Stimulus money targets rural broadband access

The federal government plans to spend more than $7 billion over the next two years to increase broadband Internet access in rural America. We haven't seen anything quite like this since government efforts to boost electricity and telephone access to rural residents.

PC World explained:

"Officially known as 'Title VI--Broadband Technology Opportunities Program,' the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus money accounts for less than 1 percent (and only five pages) of the entire package. Its purpose is to spur broadband growth in under served areas of the country..."

Questions arise on broadband stimulus agenda (Opinion)

Anticipation is building as the calendar counts down to the first quarterly report on stimulus spending. States must begin reporting on the use of federal economic recovery funds on Oct. 11. Even in the near real-time world of the Obama administration, it will take some time for the numbers to roll up -- if they do -- and a picture to emerge of what we are getting for our stimulus spending.

"We could speculate on where we are going to be," said Robert Atkinson, president of the nonpartisan Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) in Washington, D.C. "It can help jump-start the smart grid market, it will significantly help jump-start the health IT transformation, and will make a down payment on universal broadband coverage..."

Missouri applying for $142.3M in stimulus for rural broadband

MARSHFIELD — Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced today a public-private partnership with Sho-Me Power to get $142.3 million in federal stimulus money to lay 2,500 miles of fiber optic cable and build 200 new towers to improve rural broadband Internet connections.

At a news conference at Sho-Me Power's headquarters in downtown Marshfield, Nixon said the state will formally submit its application to the federal government on Thursday for federal funds...

Qwest passes on stimulus funds for broadband expansion, citing rules - Denver Business Journal:

Qwest Communications International Inc. won’t apply for the first round of a $7.2 billion federal stimulus program expanding the reach of high-speed Internet because participating under its current rules doesn’t make financial sense, the company said.

The federal government’s National Telecommunications Information Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Rural Utilities Service are dispersing $4 billion in loans and grants in a first round of funding for which the application deadline is Aug. 14...

Rural telecom associations say BIP rules are flawed | Telecompetitor

Asserting that the current evaluation criteria illegitimately favors larger over smaller broadband carriers, a coalition of industry associations representing small rural telecom providers has written a letter to the administrator of the Dept. of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service urging the agency to change proposed evaluation criteria in the Notice of Funds Availability for the federal government’s Broadband Initiatives Program.

Part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Congress directed that when appropriating BIP funds “priority…shall be given to projects that provide service to the highest proportion of rural residents that do not have broadband service,” the letter states. The August 5, 2009 letter is addressed to Jonathan Adelstein, new administrator of the RUS...

WildBlue activates third satellite, increases satellite broadband capacity | Telecompetitor

WildBlue announced availability of additional satellite broadband capacity, using a third satellite. WildBlue is leasing Ka band capacity from EchoStar’s AMC-15 satellite. The new satellite capacity will serve customers in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Arkansas.

The new capacity comes at an important time for WildBlue. They’ve had well documented challenges delivering promised bandwidth due to capacity constraints. Like everyone else in broadband, they’re also sizing up the opportunity presented by the broadband stimulus program. It’s somewhat debatable as to whether satellite broadband can deliver the type of performance needed by an emerging broadband ‘app’ culture. WildBlue recently launched a PR campaign to promote their next generation service, which they claim dramatically improves their broadband performance...

WeiTel selected as teaming partner to support USDA broadband stimulus efforts

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Weintraub Telecomm, LLC (WeiTel) announced today the award of a new, multi-year contract as a Teaming Partner with ICF Incorporated (ICFI). Under this contract the WeiTel team will support the Rural Utilities Services (RUS) Broadband Initiatives Program, a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

WeiTel, as a Teaming Partner with ICF International, will assist in the support of the Broadband Initiatives Program with program administration, application processing, post-award monitoring, program reporting, communications and outreach, and technical assistance. The team will begin immediately by setting up the application review process to assist the RUS in making timely awards...

States weigh in as feds prepare to spend billions on broadband for remote areas

With the state’s help, an increasing number of residents in rural Washington County in Down East Maine are using high-speed Internet connections to run their blueberry farms and lobster fleets, educate their children and communicate with doctors from remote areas.

But it’s a large county and its 34,000 residents are spread out: At twice the size of Rhode Island, it takes four hours to cross in a car, and yet there’s only one traffic light. That means it’s slow going for local Internet provider, Axiom Technologies, which is working town by town to set up wireless access points, sometimes serving as few as 12 households per connection...

Analysis of the US broadband stimulus package

In January 2009 the US Congress began considering the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill 2009 aimed at kick-starting an economy in deep recession. The package, passed into law on 17 February, comprised $787 billion of mainly tax cuts, unemployment benefits and spending in education, health care, infrastructure and energy.

Included in the fiscal stimulus package was a relatively modest $7.2 billion for broadband and wireless in unserved and underserved areas, of which approximately two-thirds is to be administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and approximately one-third by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)...

Telecom companies to provide data for broadband map | Business | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

WASHINGTON — The country's biggest phone and cable companies have agreed to hand over information about their broadband networks to help the federal government produce a national map showing where high-speed Internet connections are available across the U.S.

AT&T, Verizon Communications and Comcast have told the Commerce Department that they are committed to helping the government “complete the important and difficult task of mapping broadband availability...”

Don’t miss the chance for broadband in southern Ohio | Farm and Dairy - The Auction Guide and Rural Marketplace

Like many of your readers I live in the countryside, out of reach of modern broadband and barely in range of cellular service. I, for one, would like to see that situation improved.

The problem is that the population and income densities where I live are just too low for the major telecom companies to make money. They’re too big and inefficient...

Stimulus billions fund rural broadband Internet expansion - Aug. 11, 2009

WASHINGTON (CNNMoney.com) -- Fast Internet access is a luxury most businesses take for granted these days, but in remote areas of the country, the staticky crackle of a dial-up modem connection remains a familiar sound. A $7.2 billion stimulus initiative aims to expand broadband access and speed up the modem's extinction.

Two federal agencies, the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) and the Agriculture Department's Rural Utility Service, each landed billions from the Recovery Act to fund new broadband infrastructure projects. Applications are due this week for the first wave of grants and loans from those programs...

US broadband stimulus package – analysis

In January 2009 the US Congress began considering the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill 2009 aimed at kick-starting an economy in deep recession. The package, passed into law on 17 February, comprised $787 billion of mainly tax cuts, unemployment benefits and spending in education, health care, infrastructure and energy.

Included in the fiscal stimulus package was a relatively modest $7.2 billion for broadband and wireless in unserved and underserved areas, of which approximately two-thirds is to be administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and approximately one-third by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)...

Broadband stimulus plan has no map for success

The federal government is spending $7.2 billion over the next year to bring better broadband to the masses, a lofty goal by any measure. But the feds are making it loftier than it needs to be in that it has no idea where people without broadband live — which is like planning targeted radiation therapy for a cancer without knowing where the cancer is.

There’s an entire 100-plus-page document noting the rules around who can apply for grants and how those grant applications will be judged. The grant recipients will be judged primarily on whether or not they plan to provide broadband to people who don’t have any. There’s even $350 million set aside to help the government determine who those people are, but there’s no way it will figure that out by Friday – which is when the first round of broadband grant applications are due...

FCC kicks off broadband report - Telecom News Wire

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Communications Commission today begins its sixth inquiry for Congress into the state of broadband in the U.S. – an inquiry that this year is intertwined with the agency’s larger effort to create a National Broadband Plan.

In the Notice of Inquiry released today, the Commission starts with a clean slate against a backdrop of statutory and policy changes. Those changes include Congress’s requirement that the FCC develop a comprehensive National Broadband Plan by Feb. 17, 2010, that it improve its broadband data collection, and the Commission’s own efforts to collect broadband data on a more granular basis...

How to navigate broadband stimulus application hell

It’s crunch time and there’s probably dozens of NOFA guides and FAQs all over the Internet to help you cross your application t’s and dot the i’s. I’m going to come at this a little differently. Here’s a check list of random things related to your application – but not all of them directly in the application rules – that you should consider.

Find a local marketing agent, marketing director of a local business or equivalent within a government agency. Have that person review your Executive Summary as well as (for you folks chasing BTOP money) your description of the “Project Purpose” and “Enhanced Service for Health Care Delivery, Education and Children.” He or she should look at how succinctly and powerfully the first two sentences of each narrative describe and sell the main benefits your proposal will deliver...

More broadband could speed state's recovery | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida's Information Leader

Few people realize exactly what a faster, more accessible Internet could mean for Florida's economy -- a wealth of job creation, better learning opportunities, quicker emergency response, business growth and an overall improved quality of life.

Yet, in 2007, half of all Floridians had no access to high-speed Internet and, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, as of 2009, home installation rates for African-Americans and rural residents are still lower than the national average. The most telling reasons for the gap include a lack of availability and high prices...

What's possible with broadband stimulus funding

Just a week away from the first deadline for the responses on the broadband stimulus bill--what was the response from your university or college? I do not think the response to the opportunity is as important as why did you not respond. I do not mean to put you on the edge of your seat, Provost or President, but the culture of the university is becoming clear as the time draws to a close.

I do not know about other states (that’s not quite true), but I am very aware of what happened at home. It appears that with almost two billion dollars at stake there are few if any responses ready to go, lots of reasons given, but the truth is we had a difficult time trying to do anything other than the norm for a large university...

Broadband stimulus: look back at history to understand the future | MuniWireless

To properly direct the potential success of the federal broadband stimulus, we need to look back before moving forward. Looking back, the need to create greater competition in the United States telecommunications industry was recognized by both the Democratic and Republican parties. The consent decree of 1982 that broke up American Telephone & Telegraph Co. (AT&T) was under the Ronald Reagan administration, while the break up of the Bell operating companies occurred during the Clinton administration in 1996.

Deregulation spurred the deployment of fiber optic networks, which helped to fuel the dotcom boom and encourage the funding of technology start-ups all over the country. The networks that were built and the equipment and software required to build them created companies from nothing that became overnight stock market and business successes...

Small operators balk at special conditions in broadband stimulus money

What if the government held a $7.2 billion cash giveaway and nobody came? The deadline for the initial round of funding for the $7.2 billion broadband stimulus program is Aug. 14 and early indications are that small cable operators may sit out the program in fairly large numbers. As one long-time small cable-system operator who requested anonymity put it: “There are a lot of strings on that money.”

The broadband stimulus was carved out of the nearly $800 billion federal bailout package — officially called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — to help bring broadband service to rural markets. The funding is expected to be doled out in three tranches: One that expires on Aug. 14, a second towards the end of the year and a third set tentatively for the spring of 2010...

Shovel-ready Internet coming

NATCHEZ — By this time next year, the combined efforts of a Texas-based fiber optic company and millions in federal stimulus dollars are scheduled to result in high-speed Internet access for rural Adams County residents.

At its meeting Monday, the Adams County Board of Supervisors passed a motion lending its support to BSI Cable, based in Balch Springs, Texas, to move forward on a project that will install a fiber optic network in Adams County...

FCC begins latest probe of broadband access - PC World

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has begun its latest inquiry into the state of broadband in the U.S., an annual effort that touches on areas of growing national debate.

On Friday the FCC issued a Notice of Inquiry seeking comment on how it should define and measure broadband availability, whether current services are good enough and what the agency should do to accelerate broadband deployment. It asked companies, organizations, individuals and other responders to file comments between Sept. 4 and Oct. 2 for a report to be delivered to Congress on Feb. 3, 2010...

Wiring the wild Park? - AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Saranac Lake region — Adirondack Daily Enterprise

In the state Adirondack Park, residents and businesses often say that the strict regulations make it too difficult to develop new businesses, which is bad news for the Park's economy.

"Everybody's trying to understand how we can have a sustainable Park within the parameters that make it a pristine and beautiful place to visit and live, how you can have an economy that goes along with that vision," said Clarkson University President Tony Collins...

Some fiber deployments slowed by recession, stimulus bill | Articles | ITBusinessEdge.com

Experts say that the roll out of fiber in the United States has been affected in a variety of ways by the recession and the looming broadband stimulus program. They add that the impact has been greater on smaller carriers in rural areas than on tier-one telcos.

The reality is that spending on fiber is coming. The question is when. “I think there is a lot of truth to the notion that there’s going to be fiber investment at some point in the next six to eight months,” says Drew Clark, the editor and executive director of BroadbandCensus, a site that covers broadband...

The latest craze: Free e-books offerings - USATODAY.com

NEW YORK — James Patterson's latest best seller, The Angel Experiment, is a little different from his usual hits. The novel isn't new; it came out four years ago. Readers aren't picking it up at bookstores, but mostly on the Kindle site at Amazon.com. And the price is low even for an old release: $0.00.

"I like the notion of introducing people to one book, while promoting the sales of another," says the prolific and mega-selling author (and co-author) of numerous thrillers." His Kindle download is the first book of Patterson's "Maximum Ride" young adult series...

Compliance to play key role in stimulus applications « Knight Center Community Connection

At Broadband Application Training workshops across the nation, government representatives have stated that compliance monitoring and reporting would play a crucial role in setting a standard of transparency and accountability to funding applicants.

It was made very clear that the government is taking this issue very seriously.

In short, a compliant program will meet the deadlines stated in its application and use money as indicated. During the second review of proposals at the end of September, a separate compliance team will begin checking proposals for compliance issues. Program Officers have already been hired and placed in the field to monitor and provide oversight for specific programs...

Phone and cable companies agree to hand over data for national broadband map - Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON (AP) — The country's biggest phone and cable companies have agreed to hand over information about their broadband networks to help the federal government produce a national map showing where high-speed Internet connections are available across the U.S.

AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and Comcast Corp. have told the Commerce Department that they are committed to helping the government "complete the important and difficult task of mapping broadband availability..."

Wireless shows promise for stimulus money - Network World

As the Aug. 14 broadband stimulus application deadline approaches, it's noteworthy that wireless has already played a successful role in earlier programs created to get far-flung U.S. citizens "connected." Wireless has proven itself a sustainable model in several rural areas, potentially setting the stage for other forthcoming deployments using stimulus funds.

Because they don't involve trenching and running cable, wireless networks can be less inexpensive and often deliver a faster payback in sparsely populated areas than terrestrial networks. As such, wireless nets have allowed grant and loan recipients in some rural areas to meet their infrastructure implementation deadlines and pay back their loans on time when fiber proved cost-prohibitive...

When is a community fully served by broadband?

One of the hottest topics related to the broadband stimulus is how to define what it means for a community to be underserved. But there's been a huge piece missing from that conversation as we have yet to address the question of: when is a community fully served by broadband? When can we say that a community has enough and doesn't need government intervention to get more connected?

Based on the government's definition of underserved, a community's served if half of it can get terrestrial facilities-based broadband at 768Kbps down and 200Kbps up or if any wireless provider advertises service at 3Mbps down...

A perspective on the broadband stimulus « ViodiTV – Beta Site

The Broadband Stimulus was a major topic of conversation at the Summer 2009 OPASTCO Convention and was the subject of a panel. ViodiTV caught up with one of the panelists David Villano, Assistant Administrator for Telecommunications Program – U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development, who elaborated on the application process and how the process may continue to be somewhat dynamic. He emphasized that the focus of the first NOFA will be funding the middle-mile broadband projects, particularly those that are “shovel-ready”...

What I would tell the FCC about games

In the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the Stimulus Act), Congress charged the FCC with developing a National Broadband Plan by February 2010. Last month, Blair Levin, the FCC official overseeing the broadband plan, called the 8,500 page record developed so far "unhelpful."

On August 5, the Chairman agreed, saying, “We need everyone, every stakeholder, to step up, to meet the moment, to tackle the data issues, to tackle the policy issues, and to take this process as seriously as it deserves. I don’t think that’s happened yet but I’m confident that it will.” To improve the record, the FCC is holding a series of public workshops this month in Washington. For fun, here is what I would tell the FCC about games and broadband, if given the chance...

First phase of broadband stimulus money might miss the mark - International Beat

As the August 14 deadline approaches for applications for the first of three phases of federal broadband stimulus funding, many telecom companies apparently are going for their share of money. But experts say that small businesses, organizations and communities should also aim for a share of that pie.

In fact, some broadband advocates are saying that the best way to make use of the grant money would be to make it available to end-users who actually the face the problems of non-availability or inadequate availability of broadband...

Broadband stimulus package - Busy?

I don’t want to take much of your time. I know you are focusing on your applications but when I read the recent update to the FAQ, it made me think a bit about the technical feasibility test that RUS will use to determine if a project will be funded or not.

Are you trying to keep your project below $1M in order to avoid the Professional Engineer sign-off? You might think again. I saw in the recently updated FAQ that "only projects that RUS determines to be technically feasible will be eligible for an award." This is a step 1 evaluation item. It seems very likely that RUS will rely heavily on the PE certification and those projects under $1M which do not have that certification will be scrutinized for technical feasibility by RUS staffers "in a vacuum". You will not have any opportunity for dialog when that review takes place. Keep in mind, the minimum that the PE has to certify is a system design in the form of a diagram and a project timeline. While time is running short, you may still be able to get this certification. I strongly believe it is in your interest to do so. If you don’t know who to work with, Occam has strong relationships with many CE firms across the country and I would be happy to help you find a Professional Engineer that you can work with. Drop me a line...

FCC Chairman appoints National Broadband Plan Committee | Telecompetitor

FCC chairman Julius Genachowski yesterday announced the appointment of 12 senior staff members who will work on developing a National Broadband Plan, part of the federal government’s Omnibus Broadband Initiative.

“Developing the National Broadband Plan will require enormous effort on the part of dozens of current FCC staff who will be enlisted to contribute their talents, ideas, and insights for this initiative,” Genachowski said...

Satellite, wireless, SaaS to emerge as winners with broadband stimulus: Global-i

The broadband stimulus funds contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will fuel growth for private and public sector organizations seeking to use communications and IT technologies for innovative and faster delivery of goods and services, the head of a Washington, D.C.-area provider of consulting, contracting-outsourcing and technology services business told TMCnet.

According to Global-i, Inc. Founder and President Dave Roy, broadband stimulus is critical for the growth and viability of the entire economy...

NYConvergence - A digest of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut digital media technology news: NYC Residents Suggest Spending Stimulus $s on Tech

City Councilwoman Gale Brewer chaired a meeting of the NYC Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) in late July, an opportunity for NYC residents to make proposals to the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) about what tech projects they'd like to see if the DoITT could secure some of the Obama Administration's stimulus funds set aside for tech projects. Below, you'll find a video of the meeting...

State of Nevada plans to map broadband coverage with GIS technology

Redlands, California—The State of Nevada is taking proactive steps to maximize broadband availability to Nevadans in its decision to use geographic information system (GIS) technology to create detailed maps of state broadband coverage. The maps will be created by Connected Nation, a nonprofit organization, using ESRI GIS software, and will provide a platform for prioritizing new broadband projects in the state.

Nevada recently named Connected Nation as its designated eligible entity under the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program. With the goal of increasing broadband access, Connected Nation will assist the Nevada Broadband Task Force, appointed by Nevada governor Jim Gibbons, with mapping that supports broadband stimulus grant applications. A statewide map identifying rural and remote areas that can be targeted for infrastructure grant funding is already available...

O'Brien: Time to move broadband discussion to front burner - San Jose Mercury News

Given the seemingly infinite number of issues that President Barack Obama has tried to take on since January, the push for a national broadband policy has understandably flown well below most people's radar.

The economic stimulus debate followed by the tussle over health care reform have, appropriately, drawn the most attention. These are high-impact issues, either of which could define Obama's legacy by their success or failure. And unfortunately more trivial fare such as the ill-conceived "cash for clunkers" and the absurd Beer Summit have sucked up more than their share of oxygen...

ICF International awarded broadband stimulus contract valued at up to $27 million

FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ICF Incorporated, LLC, a subsidiary of ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI), announced today the award of a new, multi-year contract valued at up to $27 million with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development, Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Under this contract, the ICF team will support the RUS Broadband Initiatives Program, a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The ICF team will support the Broadband Initiatives Program with program administration, application processing, post-award monitoring, program reporting, communications and outreach, and technical assistance. The team will begin immediately by setting up the application review process to assist the RUS in making timely awards...

Texas to map broadband inventory in bid for stimulus funds

The Texas Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday it will map the state's broadband inventory through an initiative called Connect Texas.

The department will partner with Redlands, Calif.-based ESRI, a leading provider of GIS software; and Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Connected Nation, an organization that aims to assist states expand their broadband coverage...

Greater Internet access to fuel cloud-based services, VoiP adoption

Federal funds from the Broadband Stimulus Grant Program could have a significant impact on the communications technology industry, an executive for a company that provides and distributes VoIP hardware direct from leading VoIP manufacturers, told TMCNet in an interview.

According to Kerry Garrison, vice president strategic initiatives for 888VoipStore, the federal funding would best be used to implement faster Internet speeds, which could drive adoption VoIP and other important communications solutions...

Broadband is this generation’s highway system, FCC chief says | Epicenter | Wired.com

Early this week the new FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, a former law school classmate of President Obama, toured California in support of the FCC’s ongoing attempt to craft the nation’s first broadband plan, putting in appearances at a San Francisco public housing project Sunday and a children’s hospital in Palo Alto on Monday.

While ostensibly a fact-finding mission, Genachowski’s trip — along with the 18 broadband hearings the FCC will hold before the end of summer — is intended to send a message that the FCC is planning a very ambitious proposal for the country’s IT infrastructure, a plan that goes beyond simply giving grants get YouTube and Twitter to farmers...

Texas chooses Connected Nation and ESRI to support broadband expansion

Redlands, California—Texas has joined a growing number of states using ESRI geographic information system (GIS) technology to create broadband inventory maps that better position them for competitive funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The maps will be produced with the help of Connected Nation, a nonprofit corporation, using ESRI's ArcGIS Desktop and Server software. Applicants for broadband stimulus funds can use the maps to provide compelling evidence for their cases.

"We are excited about this new partnership," said Texas agriculture commissioner Todd Staples. "Connected Nation will help Texas close the digital divide between urban and rural communities in our state. By creating a broadband map, we will learn which areas are unserved and underserved. This critical knowledge will lead to developing projects that bring high-speed Internet to all Texans, which will enhance economic development, expand educational opportunities, and improve health care." Connected Nation will partner with the Texas Department of Agriculture to create Connected Texas, the entity that will head the broadband initiative...

FairPoint: UMS unfairly competing for stimulus bucks | Mainebiz

FairPoint Communications representatives are accusing the University of Maine System of unfairly competing with the telecommunications company for federal stimulus funds to boost broadband access in the state.

Up for grabs is more than $7 billion in federal stimulus act funds to expand broadband Internet access to rural areas. Maine will have at least one broadband expansion project funded under the act, according to Capitol News Service. FairPoint is proposing a $20 million upgrade that will expand broadband access to 90% of the state by 2013, while UMS is part of a private-public partnership developing a different broadband improvement plan, the news service reported. "The university is not putting forward a stimulus proposal," Jeff Letourneau, associate director of information technology for UMS, told the news service. "What we are doing is backing one that best meets our needs." Letourneau said the proposal would better provide UMS and other high bandwidth users like The Jackson Laboratory with affordable broadband access, something they have not been able to negotiate with FairPoint...