First broadband stimulus funds awarded

The first broadband stimulus grants and loans – about $182 million worth – finally have been awarded. Middle-mile and wireless projects, a computer center and one fiber-to-the home project are among the initial awards, the Associated Press reported.

Of the first six projects, only two directly address construction of additional access facilities for user homes. Three construct middle-mile regional fiber networks while one builds a library computing center.

A combined grant and loan of $2.4 million was made to the Consolidated Electric Cooperative in north central Ohio to build a 166-mile fiber network that will be used, among other things, to connect 16 electrical substations to support a smart grid project...