NTCA's The New Edge » Stimulus

Windstream Makes Improvements

Steve Fravel — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:37:20 +0000

Due in part to an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant of $2.3 million, Windstream Corp. has announced the implementation of its first broadband stimulus construction project near Stilwell, OK.

The project will include a 56-mile fiber optic cable and electronics upgrade to the existing Windstream network. The improvement will allow 1,360 potential customers access to an improved high-speed Internet connection. The construction should conclude in March, with the new service available to customers in late June.

The Stilwell project represents only a fraction of the planned 13-state infrastructure improvement for which Windstream has stimulus grant money. The company announced that it has been awarded a total of $181.3 million making it the largest recipient of stimulus grant money in the country. Scott Morris, a spokesman for Windstream, is quoted as saying that all of the planned stimulus improvement work will be completed under the established terms of the grant program, making June 2015 the completion date. Windstream has indicated that it will contribute $760,000 in capital towards the completion of the Stilwell project.

Windstream stimulus projects are planned for Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas.

NTIA and RUS Complete Broadband Stimulus Awards

Jesse Ward — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:16:16 +0000

Last week NTIA and RUS announced a handful of new investments as both agencies scrambled to meet the September 30 deadline to award nearly $7 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. With these awards the government has now formally announced all the winners in the broadband stimulus program.

NTIA awarded $206.8 million in grants to 14 new investments, including two comprehensive community infrastructure awards ,six public computer center awards and six sustainable broadband adoption awards. This follows closely on the heels of a$115.2 million grant to the Maryland Department of Information Technology.

In total, NTIA has invested in 233 Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) projects, mainly middle-mile ventures. Based on estimates provided by grant recipients, the projects will:

fund the installation or upgrade of approximately 120,000 miles of broadband networks, including fiber-optics, wireless, microwave and other technologies
provide broadband access to approximately 24,000 community anchor institutions, including schools, libraries, government offices, health care facilities and public safety entities
deploy middle-mile infrastructure in areas with nearly 40 million households and 4 million businesses
invest in more than 3,500 new or upgraded public computer centers in libraries, schools, community centers and other public locations
invest in more than 35,000 new or upgraded public computer workstations
make public computer center workstations and training available to more than 1 million new users

Also of note, NTIA awarded $190 million to support state efforts to compete in the digital economy. Fifty states, five territories and Washington, D.C., received awards in the State Broadband Data and Development (SBDD) grant program. These state-created efforts vary depending on local needs but include programs to assist small businesses and community institutions in using technology more effectively, research to investigate barriers to broadband adoption, innovative applications that increase access to government services and information, and state and local task forces to expand broadband access and adoption.

For its part, RUS announced four new Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) investments, including awards in the amount of:

$2.63 million to Digital Bridge Corp. to bring 4G service to northern Mississippi
$7.75 million, matched by $148,500 in private contribution, to the Arizona Nevada Tower Corp. to offer a microwave backbone and middle-mile system in southwest Nevada
$791,947, matched by $245,510 in private funding, to The Willard Telephone Co. to offer FTTH in eastern Colorado
$7.3 million, with more than $2.4 million in private investment, to Windstream Corp. to provide digital telephone, high-speed Internet and high-definition video and entertainment services in central Arkansas

By leveraging $2.5 billion in Recovery Act funding authorized by Congress, RUS has been able to provide loans and grants of $3.6 billion to construct 307 broadband infrastructure and satellite projects in 46 states and one territory.

Govt Announces $1 Billion in New Broadband Stimulus Awards

Jesse Ward — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:50:34 +0000

This past Monday was a broadband stimulus bonanza, with the federal government awarding a little more than $1 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) grant funding.

RUS announced that $518 million will be invested in 43 new broadband infrastructure projects that will create jobs and provide rural residents in 27 states and Native American tribal areas access to improved Internet service. An additional $34.1 million in private investment also will be committed to the projects.

The largest grant, $66.4 million, was awarded to Lake County in Minnesota for a fiber-the-premises (FTTP) network. Other RUS Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) grants of note:

Pioneer Telephone Cooperative Inc. in Oklahoma received $35.9 million to provide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service to remote areas within its 76 western Oklahoma telephone exchange boundaries.
Windstream Communications was awarded $26 million for three new projects in New Mexico, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
Tri-County Telephone Membership in North Carolina received $14.1 million, matched by more than $2 million in private contribution, to offer broadband using FTTP technology.
Arrowhead Electric Cooperative Inc. in Minnesota received $16.1 million, matched by $600,000 in private contribution, to build a last-mile FTTH network.
Digital Bridge Communications received $794,000 to provide 4G broadband and VoIP service via fixed and mobile WiMAX technology.

Despite the looming September 30 deadline to announce all the winners in this funding round, many projects are still under review. Digital Bridge submitted 30 projects in this funding round; 29 are still under review. NRTC also submitted 30 projects, all of which are under review and rely on the Digital Bridge wireless network in which NRTC is a part owner. And finally, Qwest’s single application for $348 million to provide service throughout its 14-state territory is still pending.

For its part, NTIA announced 35 new investments, totaling $482.4 million. Twenty-five of the awards went to computing centers and sustainable broadband adoption programs designed to improve access and spur Internet usage and adoption.

However, the majority of the funds, $360.5 million, were awarded to 10 infrastructure projects to construct middle-mile networks. Colorado’s Centennial Board of Cooperative Educational Services received the largest grant totaling $100.6 million, followed closely by the Connecticut Department of Information Technology which received $93.9 million.

Monday’s NTIA and RUS grant awards are part of the second round of ARRA grant announcements, which will continue on a rolling basis and are slated to be completed by September 30, 2010. In total, NTIA has thus far announced 216 grants that benefit communities across the nation. For its part, RUS has awarded $3.6 billion to construct 307 broadband projects in 46 states and one territory.

RUS has a complete list of the projects which were awarded ARRA broadband grants this past Monday. NTIA’s release also has details on the administration’s recent awardees.

VOTW: Broadband to the Unserved

Jesse Ward — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:07:16 +0000

And last but not least, our video of the week (VOTW) sponsored by Viodi TV.

The Navajo Nation faces challenges in both communications as well as other utilities. According to the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), some 18,000 families are without electricity. With an area larger than 10 of the 50 states of America, the Navajo Nation still presents unique challenges to providing communications services.

The NTUA recently won a $32.1 million grant from the NTIA as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This is being matched with $11.3 million from the NTUA, and $2.2 million from Commnet Wireless. The funds will provide broadband access to 15,120 square miles of the Navajo Nation’s 27,000 square miles. The wireless service will cover 30,000 households and mid-mile backbone to another 49 communities.

Monroe Keedo, divisional manager for IT for the NTUA, explains how some of the grant money will support families and students in the Navajo Nation.

Have you recently seen a funny, entertaining or informational video? The New Edge would love to hear from you. Please send your suggestions for the next video of the week (VOTW) to jward@ntca.org and your video might be featured in an upcoming issue..

New Broadband Stimulus Awards Include Satellite, Public Safety Networks

Jesse Ward — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:31:11 +0000

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:

Hughes Network Systems received $59 million to offer satellite broadband service to rural residential and commercial subscribers nationwide. Approximately 258,685 people stand to benefit, as do 3,200 businesses.
WildBlue Communications was awarded $20 million to offer satellite broadband service in the West and Midwest United States. Approximately 110,150 people stand to benefit, as do roughly 4,896 businesses.
Spacenet received an $8 million award to offer satellite broadband service to rural residential subscribers in Alaska and Hawaii.
Echostar was awarded $14 million award to offer satellite broadband service to rural residential and commercial subscribers. The funds will provide service to 42,478 people and 1,888 businesses.

Also for the first time, the NTIA awards contain five grants totaling $220 million for the construction of five public safety broadband networks. The public safety awards went to government entities, with the exception of Motorola which received $50 million to build a network in the greater San Francisco Bay area. All of the networks will utilize 4G technology, and meet the FCC’s standards for nationwide interoperability.

Finally, Qwest’s application for $348 million is still pending.

A list of the new projects receiving ARRA broadband grant awards can be viewed online.

RUS Awards $1.2 Billion in Stimulus Funds

Jesse Ward — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:15:12 +0000

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced the funding of 126 new broadband infrastructure projects that will create jobs and provide rural residents in 38 states and Native American tribal areas access to improved service. Today’s announcement is part of the second round of USDA broadband funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

In all, $1.2 billion will be invested in the 126 broadband infrastructure projects. An additional $117 million in private investment will be leveraged, bringing the total funds invested to $1.31 billion.

A complete list of projects receiving ARRA broadband grant awards today can be viewed online. A few of the big winners in this round:

Cimmarron Telephone Co. received an award of $42.4 million to provide FTTH and wireless broadband service in Oklahoma.
Highland Telephone Cooperative received $66 million to service areas in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Montana Opticom LLC received $64 million for a FTTP network.
Nemont Telephone Cooperative Inc. received $26 million for a FTTH network in Montana.
TDS Telecom and its wholly owned subsidiaries received $85.9 million in federal grants that the company will match with $28.6 million of its own funds. In this second funding round, TDS submitted 46 applications, and received funding approval for 39 broadband expansion projects in 18 states.
Windstream received grants totaling more than $66 million for eight projects in seven states.
West Kentucky Rural Telephone received $123.8 million for a FTTH network

Also of note, Qwest made a single application for a total of $348 million, which is still pending.

In related news, in a post on the White House blog Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke maintained that they are on track to distribute the remaining $4 billion dollars in ARRA funds by September 30, 2010.

The post provided this calendar:

Agency	Expected Approx # of Projects	Expected Approx. Dollar Amount	Description
Week of August 16
USDA	50	$190 million	These awards will support a series of last-mile projects.
Commerce	70	$1.3-$1.6 billion	These awards will support public computing, broadband adoption, community infrastructure, and some public safety projects.
Week of Sept. 6
USDA	65	$450 million	These awards will support a series of last-mile projects, as well as satellite and technical assistance projects.
Commerce	50	$600-$900 million	These awards will support public computing, broadband adoption, community infrastructure, and some public safety projects.
Week of Sept. 27
Commerce	15	$300-$600 million	These awards will primarily support public safety projects, but may also include a handful of community infrastructure, public computing, and broadband adoption projects.
Commerce		$100-$200 million	These awards will support broadband mapping efforts.

MBC Deploys Infinera for Middle-Mile Network

Jesse Ward — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:43:33 +0000

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.

“We are moving as quickly as we can to roll out our broadband stimulus network and bring the advantages of open-access middle-mile network connectivity to all K-12 schools in southern Virginia,” said MBC President & CEO Tad Deriso. “Infinera was a natural choice for us, with its industry-leading speed of deployment and simplicity of operations. Our experience with our existing Infinera network has been first-rate and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the company on this and other expansions.”

Established in 2004, MBC is as an independent, open-access broadband cooperative to promote economic development in Southern Virginia. MBC owns and operates an open-access fiber optic backbone network that provides wholesale optical transport services, collocation, dark fiber and tower construction/leasing in rural Virginia. For more information on MBC, see the video below.

Government Awards $795 million in Stimulus Round 2

Jesse Ward — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:45:36 +0000

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:

In total, tens of millions of Americans and over 685,000 businesses, 900 healthcare facilities and 2,400 schools in all fifty states stand to benefit from the awards. The $795 million in grants and loans through the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture have been matched by over $200 million in outside investment, for a total public-private investment of more than $1 billion in bringing broadband service to these communities, most of which currently have little or no access, to help them better compete and do business in the global marketplace.

The awards announced today stem from both agencies administering the broadband stimulus program, the National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Services (RUS). The awards will include infrastructure projects and public computing centers.

RUS-funded projects are primarily last-mile projects, and 36 of the 37 announced today include both a grant and loan component. All of the NTIA-funded projects are grant-funded.

For a complete listing of the awardees, see this PDF released by the White House.

USDA Reports On Round 1 Stimulus Awards

Kevin McGuire — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:23:26 +0000

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:

Types of awards funded:
- 13 last mile projects funded at $161 million (broadband to those >50 miles from a nonrural area)
- 49 last mile, non-remote projects funded at $739 million. (broadband to those <50 miles from a nonrural area)
- Six middle mile projects funded at $167 million
Technologies funded:
- Wireline Fiber-Optic Cable – 48%
- Wireless Terrestrial Fixed – 23%
- Wireline xDSL – 14%
- Wireless Terrestrial Mobile – 5%
- Other – 6%
Entity type funded:
- For-profit – 37 projects
- Cooperative or Mutual- 20 projects
- Public – 4 projects
- Other – 7 projects

View the press release.

View the entire report.

ISPs Add Rural Broadband Customers at Double-digit Pace

Dave Lowe — Wed, 19 May 2010 20:08:35 +0000

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.

“Although rural markets have witnessed significant increases in broadband penetration during the past few years, these areas still lag behind the penetration rates of metropolitan areas. As the primary drivers of rural broadband growth, regional ISPs have the opportunity to increase their market share by delivering broadband to the millions of households still relying on dial-up services.”, said Brian Jurutka, comScore senior vice president.

Leading the group of regional ISPs who are reaching double-digit growth during the last year in rural markets is TDS Telecom located in Maine at 101% increases from the first quarter in 2009 as compared to the last quarter of 2009. TDS is followed by Windstream Communications in Arkansas, with a 57% increase for the same period. Frontier Communications located in Nebraska, Idaho and Alabama had subscriber increases of 28%, 27% and 26% respectively for the same time period.

Consumer demand for bandwidth intensive applications like streaming video and peer-to-peer file sharing appear to be driving broadband adoption in rural areas; not unlike as seen in urban and suburban settings.