New Broadband Stimulus Awards Include Satellite, Public Safety Networks
Posted by Jesse Ward on Thursday, August 19, 2010 · 
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Yesterday Vice President Biden announced that as part of the second round of broadband funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the government has awarded $1.8 billion to 94 new broadband projects within 37 states.
This announcement includes 66 grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) to deploy broadband and connect community anchor institutions, create and upgrade public computer centers, and encourage the sustainable adoption of broadband service. It also includes 28 awards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) for broadband infrastructure and satellite projects that will provide rural residents in 16 states and Native American tribal areas access to improved service.
The University of Arkansas received the largest financial award,$102 million, to connect community anchor institutions throughout the state. Other winners include Windstream which received more than $64 million for four new projects; Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corp. which received more than $21 million for a FTTH network; and Peoples Telephone Cooperative which was awarded more than $28 million to provide middle-mile broadband service in eastern Texas, connecting 190 community institutions to broadband.
For the first time the stimulus winners include four satellite operators: Read more
MBC Deploys Infinera for Middle-Mile Network
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, August 2, 2010 · ·
The Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative (MBC), an organization of 55 private sector telecom companies located in southern Virginia, is advancing its middle-mile initiative.
MBC recently deployed an Infinera DTN network on its 800-mile regional network.
The Infinera DTN is the first optical networking system powered by photonic integrated circuits. The platform combines high-capacity DWDM transport, integrated digital bandwidth management, and GMPLS-powered service intelligence.
MBC won a $16 million grant in the first round of the federal broadband stimulus program to enable middle-mile services for 121 K-12 schools in southern Virginia. Read more
Government Awards $795 million in Stimulus Round 2
Posted by Jesse Ward on Tuesday, July 6, 2010 · ·
President Obama announced the first 66 winners in the second funding round of the ARRA broadband stimulus program. The awardees include municipalities, educational institutions and tier 2 and 3 telcos, many of which will fill in fiber “middle mile” gaps in rural communities.
The Obama administration reports that the investment will create 5,000 construction and installation jobs. The release touts these additional benefits: Read more
North Carolina Requests Funds for Middle-Mile Network
Posted by Jesse Ward on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 · ·
North Carolina’s Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC) has applied to receive $28.1 million in broadband recovery funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The application is part of a coordinated strategy to improve broadband access for businesses and residents in underserved areas and enhance feasibility of Health Internet Technology (HIT) initiatives across the state, resulting in improved access to health services. Read more
Level 3 Requests Stimulus Funds for Middle Mile
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, August 24, 2009 · ·
After the three largest U.S. telcos (AT&T, Qwest and Verizon) and cable operator (Comcast) announced they would abstain from filing in the first round of broadband stimulus applications, Level 3 has taken a different path, positioning itself as a neutral “middle-mile” wholesale service provider to last-mile broadband operators.
The company has applied for $15 million in grant funding. Level 3 plans to use this funding, along with an additional $5 million in its own capital, to create new access points or middle-mile connections to its network in more than 50 rural markets in six states. Read more