Government Awards $795 million in Stimulus Round 2
Posted by Jesse Ward on Tuesday, July 6, 2010 · 
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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
USDA Reports On Round 1 Stimulus Awards
Posted by Kevin McGuire on Thursday, June 10, 2010 · ·
Yesterday, the USDA unveiled a report called “Connecting Rural America.” This report provides an overview of round one stimulus awards, and helps identify “… how broadband deployment funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) will improve the quality of life of over half a million rural American households.”
In the first round, RUS awarded just over $1 billion for 68 projects in 31 states. The report suggests that the projects will bring broadband service to an estimated 529,249 households, 92,754 businesses and 3,332 anchor institutions across more than 172,000 square miles. It compares the geographical size of the total projects to the state of California. Additionally, the projects will create about 5,000 immediate and direct jobs.
Other report highlights include: Read more
ISPs Add Rural Broadband Customers at Double-digit Pace
Posted by Dave Lowe on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 · ·
According to comScore, a regional consultancy located in Reston, Virginia, regional ISPs have been adding rural broadband customers in the U.S. at double-digit growth rates over the past year. It seems like these regional ISPs have focused their efforts in rural markets in anticipation of larger carriers ultimately reaching near-capacity penetration rates in urban and suburban markets; leaving only rural markets for future growth – a trend not without historical precident. Further, and for the most part, these regional ISPs have facilitated this growth without the aid of government provided stimulus funds. Read more
NTIA Awards $114 Million to 9 New Projects, First-Round Complete
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, May 3, 2010 · ·
On April 26, NTIA announced nine recipients of Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grants, thus bringing the first-round awards to a close. The investments, totaling more than $114 million in grants, will increase broadband access and adoption in more than a dozen states.
All told, in the first-round NTIA awarded 82 BTOP grants worth $1.2 billion that will expand broadband access and adoption through projects in 45 states and territories.
The agency is now reviewing the second round of applications, which will be announced this summer. NTIA must complete the awards by September 30.
Here is a rundown on the winners announced last week: Read more
NTIA Reports $11B in Round 2 Broadband Stimulus Applications
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, April 12, 2010 · ·
NTIA announced last week that it received 867 applications asking for $11 billion in funding in the second round of the agency’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). This is less than half the 1,770 applications the agency received in the first round.
The drop off might be due to change in rules, which prohibit applicants from filing the same project with both NTIA and RUS. Read more
RUS Completes First Round of Stimulus Funding
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, April 5, 2010 · ·
On March 30, RUS announced the final Round One American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) broadband stimulus project.
Reservation Telephone Cooperative was selected to receive a $10.95 million loan and a $10.95 million grant to provide service in the remote and rural areas in and around the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The project will bring broadband service to homes, businesses, schools and libraries. In addition, service will be provided to tribal government facilities which provide tribal child support, education assistance, employment assistance, health care and public safety services on the reservation. The area has experienced poverty rates as high as 28%, and a 40% unemployment rate. Read more
NTIA Awards $63 Million to 10 Stimulus Projects
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, March 29, 2010 · ·
NTIA announced March 25 that it has awarded $63 million in Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) funding to 10 projects. The investments will increase broadband access and adoption in more than a dozen states.
These latest winners applied in Round One in the broadband stimulus program. Both NTIA and RUS had originally planned to select all first round awards by the end of February, and well before the closing of the second round filing window, but they continue to award funds well past the eleventh hour.
The following grants were announced March 25: Read more
