New rules

Whether it was due to net neutrality concerns, the possibility that the federal government would have greater control over their business dealings, limited resources to put together applications or whatever, many companies that could’ve participated in the first round of the broadband stimulus sat this one out. But for those that think they may now be ready to take the plunge, theFCC (

News - Alert) should be releasing rules for the next one or two funding rounds in short order.

A Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) document laying out the rules for the second (and/or final, depending upon whether there is one or there are two rounds left, which has yet to be decided) should be issued by the FCC in the fourth quarter, with the second round application process opening shortly after that. The FCC released a NOFA for the first round, but given this is all a learning process, the agency expects to tweak, if not completely overhaul, the rules for future round(s)...