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...