Feds may spend as much as $350 million on 'broadband map'

The federal government has allocated up to $350 million to develop a map showing broadband penetration rates in the U.S. – but some in the telecommunications industry see that as being a waste of taxpayer money, since the map will show what everyone knows anyway.

The map is being developed to assist government agencies in the doling out of $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus funds as part of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, passed by Congress in February. It will show in detail where high speed Internet service (both fixed line and wireless) is available in the U.S., and how fast it is, and will serve as an important tool in deciding which of the approximately 2,200 applications for broadband stimulus funds submitted by service providers, state governments and municipalities will be approved...