March 2009
Lobbyists, public interest groups square off over broadband stimulus rules
[2009/03/23]
Policy wonks and telecom lobbyists are squaring off in a battle royal over which strings will be attached to broadband stimulus money. The fights ar....
Stimulus bill to bring rural areas a faster Internet
[2009/03/27]
When surveyor Brad Andrew Jr. needs to get maps and other large files off the Internet, he drives from his home near Bedford, Ky., to the Trimble County Public Library, where he can get high-spee....
Net neutrality debate spills over to broadband stimulus
[2009/03/25]
Carriers and net neutrality proponents found themselves at odds Monday during a discussion on whether to place strict net neutrality conditions on any broadband network built using ....
Broadband and Economic Development: How Deep is the Alliance?
[2009/03/25]
The final session of the NTIA/RUS public forums on implementing broadband stimulus legislation focused on the role that broadband deployment can play in economic development ....
Risk factor could affect broadband stimulus payouts
[2009/03/24]
A diverse group of organizations Tuesday agreed that ....
Broadband Stimulus Cash: Who Makes the Cut?
[2009/03/25]
The bread line is getting long as the government moves ....
Perspectives on Selection Criteria Reflect Views on Stimulus Program’s Purpose
[2009/03/24]
NTIA and RUS broadband stimulus grant recipients should ....
Advocates Seek Accountability in Expenditure of Broadband Stimulus Funds
[2009/03/24]
At the final day of a six-day public forum about the federal ....
ACA: Small, Mid-Sized Ops Key to Rural Broadband Stimulus
[2009/03/24]
The American Cable Association, in a filing Wednesday evening, ....
Cable Ops, MMTC and Microsoft Among Those Weighing In on Broadband Rollout
[2009/03/26]
The FCC continued to get plenty of advice from the industry ....
Broadband and Economic Development: How Deep is the Alliance?
[2009/03/25]
The final session of the NTIA/RUS public forums on imple ....
ARRA Memo Fed Reg 3-25-09
[2009/03/24]
My Administration is committed to ensuring that public funds are ....
FCC Commissioner Adelstein Appointed As RUS Administrator
[2009/03/23]
I congratulate my friend and colleague Jonathan Adelstein ....
Rural areas hope stimulus package includes funds for broadband
[2009/03/22]
From his home in Richland County, Jordan Maclay reaches for the ....
Highland seeks $20 million in stimulus funds for fiber optic lines
[2009/03/23]
The city is seeking $20 million in federal broadband stimulus ....
Likely First Round Broadband Stimulus Proposals
[2009/03/19]
Given the "rush rush" requirements of getting a third of the $7.2 billion in "broadband stimulus" spent by June 2009, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS), at a time when even application forms have yet to be created...
Stimulus Broadband Money Has Three Funding Windows
[2009/03/18]
Stimulus money set aside for broadband will flow to local governments during three funding windows occurring between April 2009 and June 2010...
NCTA White Paper: Focus Broadband Stimulus Funds on Unserved and Adoption
[2009/03/18]
A White Paper released Tuesday by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association recommends broadband stimulus grants prioritize built-out to remote, unserved areas. Remaining monies should be used to fund programs to promote and encourage use of broadband services...
Washington Hearing Drives Home Complexities in Awarding Broadband Stimulus Money
[2009/03/19]
The government's daunting task in quickly figuring out how to award the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus money continues to get more daunting...
Coordination Between NTIA and RUS Spurs Talk of Common Broadband ...
[March 17, 2009]
The $7.2 billion total in broadband stimulus funds was allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which authorized $787 billion in total ...
A Broadband Stimulus Jackpot
[March 16, 2009]
Minnesota groups are lining up for part of the $7.2 billion in federal recovery money designated for broadband projects.
CTIA: Is It Still Relevant?
[March 16, 2009]
What role will CTIA play in the distribution of broadband stimulus money? Something else to think about is that the rural markets have been represented by ...
Phone Firms Seek Low Bar for US Broadband Grants
[March 16, 2009]
Telecommunications firms vying for $7.2 billion in funding for broadband expansion urged regulators to allow ...
Rural Markets Need Backbone Stimulus
[March 16, 2009]
While many observers have been discussing where broadband stimulus funding is needed and which access technologies service providers are likely to use to reach their end users, investment further up the line in the network backbone should not be forgotten.
To Have Or To Have Not
[March 16, 2009]
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), dba the economic stimulus bill, contains $7.2 billion to start closing the gap between the broadband ...
Will NTIA Actually be Deciding Who Gets Broadband Stimulus Grants?
[March 16, 2009]
Among the great unknowns -and, to be honest, almost everything at the moment is quite unknown ...
Will Private Companies Be Able to Bid for Broadband Stimulus Funds?
[March 16, 2009]
At a March 16 National Telecommunications and Information Administration hearing, ...
ADTRAN FTTP Strategy Strengthens Comprehensive Portfolio for Broadband Stimulus
[2009/02/24]
ADTRAN , Inc., a supplier of next-generation networking solutions, today announced key elements of its Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) strategy, strengthening the company’s comprehensive portfolio of access...
Big Telcos Drag Their Heels on Broadband Stimulus...
[2009/03/17 ]
BusinessWeek
Bridging the Digital Divide by Ensuring Broadband on Indian Tribal ...
[2009/03/18]
In spending the broadband stimulus, priority ought to be given to service areas where the penetration rate of those service areas are below 15% or below of …
Broadband Stimulus Details Trickling Out
[2009/03/11]
Telecommunications firms vying for $7.2 billion in funding for broadband expansion urged regulators to allow ...
In the End, "Not Enough Time" for Broadband Stimulus Reflection...
[2009/03/17]
NeoNova to Present Webinar Series on Broadband Economic Stimulus Plan
[February 18, 2009]
NeoNova Network Services , the industry leader in managed IP services for telcos, municipal organizations and cable companies, today announced the first in a series of Webinars discussing the impact of the Economic Stimulus Plan on broadband deployment in ...
Rural Broadband Grants Coming Soon
[2009/03/04 ]
The $2.5 billion to be awarded to rural broadband projects as part of the recently approved economic stimulus package, otherwise known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, must be awarded by Sept. 30, according to a Telephony report. That ...
TIA, ICT Industry Urge Agencies to Be Flexible in Awarding Broadband Grants...
[2009/03/16]
At a March 16 National Telecommunications and Information Administration hearing, ...
April 2009
Parts Of Jefferson County Still Lack Broadband Access
[2009/04/30]
Jefferson County officials are pushing to bring broadband Internet access to rural parts of the county. Officials said they hope stimulus money will connect Appalachia Ohio to the rest of the world. Local leaders and business owners in Jefferson County said the Internet would bring these areas up to speed on the information ....
Legislators: Don't Forget Urban Underserved When Doling Out Stimulus Loans
[2009/04/29]
A group of House Telecommunications, Technology & Internet subcommittee members including former Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA), have called on the government not to bypass "underserved" urban areas when handing out billions in broadband ....
Obama's Tech Agenda Put On Hold
[2009/04/27]
When times are hard, people adjust their priorities - even the president. When an unexpected economic disaster imploded as Barack Obama was entering office, some of his technology agenda was put on hold. Almost one hundred days into his presidency, Mr. Obama has yet ....
What is Broadband?
[2009/04/27]
Among the many tasks before the federal agencies administering $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus funds is defining broadband for the ....
Broadband stimulus hopefuls race to define 'broadband'
[2009/04/24]
One of the principal tasks now undertaken by the agencies that will distribute roughly $7.2 billion in federal broadband stimulus funds is defining what exactly they mean by "broadband." In addition to other key terms such as "unserved" and "underserved areas....
Stimulus funds could connect more rural areas to broadband
[2009/04/24]
Not far beyond the Nashville city limits, the information superhighway runs into a dirt road. The high-speed computer connections most urban residents and businesses take for granted are nowhere to be found in many rural, and not-so-rural, areas in Middle Tennessee. The federal government is hoping ....
Virginia, Pennsylvania Discuss State Maps of Broadband Availability
[2009/04/22]
With the fast-moving broadband stimulus package almost certain to stretch the capabilities of federal agencies such as the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, state governments and agencies say they can help expedite ....
Industry Weighs In On $7.2 Billion Broadband Stimulus Plan
[2009/04/20]
More than 1,400 trade associations, municipalities, companies and individuals weighed in on the federal government's $7.2 billion broadband stimulus plan, offering their takes on the definitions of two terms that could determine the program's ....
U.S. Has Some Catching Up to Do
[2009/04/20]
The latest report from broadband research firm Point Topic shows Asia leading in fiber optics, which delivers the fattest pipes, and the U.S. ranked 24th globally in per capita broadband penetration, a sad spot for the nation that invented the Internet. The report defines "broadband" as connections with speeds of at least 256 kbps in ....
FCC aims to close gap in broadband Web access
[2009/04/19]
After a decade of letting the market decide who gets high-speed Internet service and when they get it, the Federal Communications Commission is poised to take an active role ....
Broadband Internet could give rural residents access to jobs
[2009/04/19]
Four days a week, J.T. Burnett dons headphones and types at her computer for hours. It would be the perfect stay-at-home job - transcribing medical records via the Internet - if she could do ....
Tennessee: Area could get broadband grants
[2009/04/16]
Businesses, nonprofit organizations and local governments will be able to apply for billions of dollars in federal stimulus money in the coming months to help expand broadband Internet access in rural areas. Tennessee may receive more than ....
Regulatory Tug-of-War for Broadband Stimulus
[2009/04/15]
With more than 1,400 comments for how the broadband stimulus grants should be awarded, agencies have their hands full in setting rules for application period ....
Broadband stimulus hopefuls get application advice: Hurry
[2009/04/15]
Of all the myriad requirements and guidelines governing the dissemination of the federal government’s $7.2-billion broadband stimulus package, perhaps the most important – applicants....
Fresh Hope for Broadband
[2009/04/15]
Speedy Internet infrastructure has been slow coming. But states are eager to use stimulus money to change that ....
Agencies flooded with comments about broadband stimulus
[2009/04/15]
Two U.S. agencies soliciting comments about how to spend $7.2 billion in broadband deployment money have received about 1,400 comments, with conflicting....
Broadband Stimulus Grants a Regulatory Tug-of-War
[2009/04/15]
With more than 1,400 comments for how the broadband stimulus grants should be awarded, agencies have their hands full in setting rules for application period. The polls have closed, and now all the businesses, public agencies ....
Broadband Stimulus Funds Up for Grabs
[2009/04/14]
Now that money from the $787 billion economic stimulus is starting to flow, the jockeying for control over some of those funds is heating up. State officials argue that they often know best how to divvy up the portion ....
Broadband stimulus working, Adtran says
[2009/04/15]
The federal broadband stimulus program is already churning up activity among lower-tier carriers that had previously fallen into malaise, according to Adtran, the access equipment vendor ....
Stimulus money could bring broadband to rural homes
[2009/04/12]
JANESVILLE — Rural residents limited to slow, dial-up Internet connections might get relief through the federal stimulus package. But first the government wants to know where ....
Eyeing the broadband stimulus skeptically
[2009/04/13]
Not all telecom service providers are eager to get broadband stimulus funds, given the uncertainty that still surrounds the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. At last week's MetaSwitch Forum 2009, in fact, a number of service providers ....
Broadband Firms Waiting to Apply for Stimulus Funds
[2009/04/13]
Before funds can be dolled out the FCC must offer guidelines and definitions of underserved areas. The U.S. broadband infrastructure is significantly lacking in many ....
FCC Launches Development of National Broadband Plan
[2009/04/13]
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC; www.fcc.gov) has begun the process of developing a national broadband plan that will seek to ensure that every American has access to broadband capability. In the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009-informally known as "the stimulus package"-Congress charged ....
Thoughts on Our National Broadband Strategy
[2009/04/13]
Hello, everyone. This is the first in what I hope will be a series of blogs on broadband and telecommunications policy issues. First, an important caveat: Although I am a telecommunications lawyer, I will not plug my ....
Huge Struggle Over Broadband Looms
[2009/04/13]
The Australian government is moving ahead with a $31 billion national broadband network that will operate on a structurally separated, wholesale-only basis, with all licensed retail providers able to buy and use the network. The network aims to connect 90 percent of Australian homes ....
FCC Starts Work on National Broadband Plan
[2009/04/9]
The Federal Communications Commission announced today that it has begun developing a national broadband plan to ensure that every U.S. citizen has access to broadband services. The commission has been charged with developing the plan as part ....
FCC re-boots broadband discussion
[2009/04/9]
The Federal Communications Commission yesterday opened a 60-day public comment period on the issue of national broadband expansion and policy. That comment period will be followed ....
FCC Boots Up National Broadband Plan
[2009/04/9]
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously approved a measure this morning that will seek public input about how to proceed with a "national broadband plan" that aims to bring affordable high-speed Internet access....
FCC moves towards National Broadband Policy
[2009/04/8]
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has taken the first step toward creating a strategy to roll out broadband to every corner of the country, with a vote Wednesday to seek public comment on how to write a national ....
FCC opens debate on national broadband plan
[2009/04/8]
The FCC voted unanimously to approve a notice of inquiry seeking comment on the creation of a national broadband plan, a first step toward the goal of providing ....
With Unanimous Excitement, FCC Kicks Off National Broadband Plan
[2009/04/8]
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved a notice of inquiry seeking comments on the FCC's role in developing a national broadband strategy - a key part of the broadband stimulus portion ....
The Stimulus and the Future of Due Diligence
[2009/04/5]
The economic crisis certainly suggests a way of doing things that is not business as usual. That's great in theory -- we are up against it, after all -- but problems arise when the emergency measures run ....
Broadband Stimulus: Economic Crisis Drives New Thinking
[2009/04/5]
The economic crisis that's hammering the U.S. has created space for innovative thinking and new ideas. "The age of market fundamentalism, with its ideological ....
F2C: How to Get Broadband Stimulus Cash
[2009/04/7]
In order to obtain some of the money in the $7.2 billion broadband stimulus, organizations will need to prove that they are competent and can ....
What's 'broadband'? Billions in stimulus funds are at stake
[2009/04/7]
Congress has earmarked $7.2 billion in stimulus aid to deploy broadband in underserved parts of the USA. But what does that mean....
FCC set to tackle national broadband plan
[2009/04/5]
The Federal Communications Commission is still awaiting a new chairman who has not yet been approved by Congress, but that isn't stopping the agency from starting ....
Sorting through the broadband stimulus package
[2009/04/6]
The public comment phase of the broadband stimulus is still being sorted out, but it is clear that Congress got a few things right with the plan, according to industry analyst ....
Legislators See 'Underserved' Definition as First Step for Broadband Stimulus
[2009/04/5]
Proper oversight of the $7.2 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program can only take place if key terms are defined properly, a panel of agency officials and policy experts told a congressional committee on....
Boucher Wants Cable To Play The NTIA/RUS Grant Game
[2009/04/3]
The NTIA/RUS broadband grant program is “a landmark opportunity” for the cable industry, House Energy and Commerce Communications Subcommittee chairman Rick Boucher, D-Va., said Thursday ....
NARUC Ratchets Up Call for State Involvement in Disbursement of Broadband Stimulus Funds
[2009/04/2]
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners on Thursday ratcheted up their call for greater state involvement in disbursement and use of the $7.2 billion broadband stimulus funds with a letter to top Commerce and ....
States want more say in stimulus spending
[2009/04/2]
State utility commissioners and tech companies are fighting over how Washington should distribute $7 billion in stimulus funds to increase Internet broadband access across ....
First Stimulus Oversight Hearing: Mostly Listening, But A Few Important Points
[2009/04/2]
One of the standard ways in Washington to influence administrative processes is via Congressional Oversight Hearings. Mind you, Congress is supposed to exercise reasonable oversight over the Administration, so this is a feature rather than a bug. But it also means that professional tea-leaf readers focus on these hearings to see what witnesses get ....
Verizon, AT&T Blocking Rural Broadband Stimulus?
[2009/04/1]
Verizon, Comcast, AT&T and other large wireless carriers and cable companies are behind lobbying efforts in state legislatures around the country to prohibit local governments from using federal stimulus money to build and manage their own ....
Gensee County sees opportunity in rural broadband stimulus package
[2009/04/1]
The Obama stimulus package includes $7.2 billion to help rural America access the Internet more easily, and officials in Genesee County would like to ensure some of that money benefits ....
Big Telcos Bluffing About Refusing Broadband Stimulus Bucks
[2009/04/1]
The feds plan to hand out some $7.2 billion in stimulus grants to companies that will deliver broadband to communities that have none, but Verizon and AT&T are making noises like they won't apply for the money because there are too many strings ....
Lobbyists, public interest groups square off over broadband stimulus rules
[2009/03/23]
Policy wonks and telecom lobbyists are squaring off in a battle royal over which strings will be attached to broadband stimulus money. The fights ar....
Stimulus bill to bring rural areas a faster Internet
[2009/03/27]
When surveyor Brad Andrew Jr. needs to get maps and other large files off the Internet, he drives from his home near Bedford, Ky., to the Trimble County Public Library, where he can get high-spee....
Net neutrality debate spills over to broadband stimulus
[2009/03/25]
Carriers and net neutrality proponents found themselves at odds Monday during a discussion on whether to place strict net neutrality conditions on any broadband network built using ....
Broadband and Economic Development: How Deep is the Alliance?
[2009/03/25]
The final session of the NTIA/RUS public forums on implementing broadband stimulus legislation focused on the role that broadband deployment can play in economic development ....
Risk factor could affect broadband stimulus payouts
[2009/03/24]
A diverse group of organizations Tuesday agreed that ....
Broadband Stimulus Cash: Who Makes the Cut?
[2009/03/25]
The bread line is getting long as the government moves ....
Perspectives on Selection Criteria Reflect Views on Stimulus Program’s Purpose
[2009/03/24]
NTIA and RUS broadband stimulus grant recipients should ....
Advocates Seek Accountability in Expenditure of Broadband Stimulus Funds
[2009/03/24]
At the final day of a six-day public forum about the federal ....
ACA: Small, Mid-Sized Ops Key to Rural Broadband Stimulus
[2009/03/24]
The American Cable Association, in a filing Wednesday evening, ....
Cable Ops, MMTC and Microsoft Among Those Weighing In on Broadband Rollout
[2009/03/26]
The FCC continued to get plenty of advice from the industry ....
Broadband and Economic Development: How Deep is the Alliance?
[2009/03/25]
The final session of the NTIA/RUS public forums on imple ....
ARRA Memo Fed Reg 3-25-09
[2009/03/24]
My Administration is committed to ensuring that public funds are ....
FCC Commissioner Adelstein Appointed As RUS Administrator
[2009/03/23]
I congratulate my friend and colleague Jonathan Adelstein ....
Rural areas hope stimulus package includes funds for broadband
[2009/03/22]
From his home in Richland County, Jordan Maclay reaches for the ....
Highland seeks $20 million in stimulus funds for fiber optic lines
[2009/03/23]
The city is seeking $20 million in federal broadband stimulus ....
Likely First Round Broadband Stimulus Proposals
[2009/03/19]
Given the "rush rush" requirements of getting a third of the $7.2 billion in "broadband stimulus" spent by June 2009, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS), at a time when even application forms have yet to be created...
Stimulus Broadband Money Has Three Funding Windows
[2009/03/18]
Stimulus money set aside for broadband will flow to local governments during three funding windows occurring between April 2009 and June 2010...
NCTA White Paper: Focus Broadband Stimulus Funds on Unserved and Adoption
[2009/03/18]
A White Paper released Tuesday by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association recommends broadband stimulus grants prioritize built-out to remote, unserved areas. Remaining monies should be used to fund programs to promote and encourage use of broadband services...
Washington Hearing Drives Home Complexities in Awarding Broadband Stimulus Money
[2009/03/19]
The government's daunting task in quickly figuring out how to award the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus money continues to get more daunting...
Coordination Between NTIA and RUS Spurs Talk of Common Broadband ...
[March 17, 2009]
The $7.2 billion total in broadband stimulus funds was allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which authorized $787 billion in total ...
A Broadband Stimulus Jackpot
[March 16, 2009]
Minnesota groups are lining up for part of the $7.2 billion in federal recovery money designated for broadband projects.
CTIA: Is It Still Relevant?
[March 16, 2009]
What role will CTIA play in the distribution of broadband stimulus money? Something else to think about is that the rural markets have been represented by ...
Phone Firms Seek Low Bar for US Broadband Grants
[March 16, 2009]
Telecommunications firms vying for $7.2 billion in funding for broadband expansion urged regulators to allow ...
Rural Markets Need Backbone Stimulus
[March 16, 2009]
While many observers have been discussing where broadband stimulus funding is needed and which access technologies service providers are likely to use to reach their end users, investment further up the line in the network backbone should not be forgotten.
To Have Or To Have Not
[March 16, 2009]
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), dba the economic stimulus bill, contains $7.2 billion to start closing the gap between the broadband ...
Will NTIA Actually be Deciding Who Gets Broadband Stimulus Grants?
[March 16, 2009]
Among the great unknowns -and, to be honest, almost everything at the moment is quite unknown ...
Will Private Companies Be Able to Bid for Broadband Stimulus Funds?
[March 16, 2009]
At a March 16 National Telecommunications and Information Administration hearing, ...
ADTRAN FTTP Strategy Strengthens Comprehensive Portfolio for Broadband Stimulus
[2009/02/24]
ADTRAN , Inc., a supplier of next-generation networking solutions, today announced key elements of its Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) strategy, strengthening the company’s comprehensive portfolio of access...
Big Telcos Drag Their Heels on Broadband Stimulus...
[2009/03/17 ]
BusinessWeek
Bridging the Digital Divide by Ensuring Broadband on Indian Tribal ...
[2009/03/18]
In spending the broadband stimulus, priority ought to be given to service areas where the penetration rate of those service areas are below 15% or below of …
Broadband Stimulus Details Trickling Out
[2009/03/11]
Telecommunications firms vying for $7.2 billion in funding for broadband expansion urged regulators to allow ...
In the End, "Not Enough Time" for Broadband Stimulus Reflection...
[2009/03/17]
NeoNova to Present Webinar Series on Broadband Economic Stimulus Plan
[February 18, 2009]
NeoNova Network Services , the industry leader in managed IP services for telcos, municipal organizations and cable companies, today announced the first in a series of Webinars discussing the impact of the Economic Stimulus Plan on broadband deployment in ...
Rural Broadband Grants Coming Soon
[2009/03/04 ]
The $2.5 billion to be awarded to rural broadband projects as part of the recently approved economic stimulus package, otherwise known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, must be awarded by Sept. 30, according to a Telephony report. That ...
TIA, ICT Industry Urge Agencies to Be Flexible in Awarding Broadband Grants...
[2009/03/16]
At a March 16 National Telecommunications and Information Administration hearing, ...
April 2009
Parts Of Jefferson County Still Lack Broadband Access
[2009/04/30]
Jefferson County officials are pushing to bring broadband Internet access to rural parts of the county. Officials said they hope stimulus money will connect Appalachia Ohio to the rest of the world. Local leaders and business owners in Jefferson County said the Internet would bring these areas up to speed on the information ....
Legislators: Don't Forget Urban Underserved When Doling Out Stimulus Loans
[2009/04/29]
A group of House Telecommunications, Technology & Internet subcommittee members including former Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA), have called on the government not to bypass "underserved" urban areas when handing out billions in broadband ....
Obama's Tech Agenda Put On Hold
[2009/04/27]
When times are hard, people adjust their priorities - even the president. When an unexpected economic disaster imploded as Barack Obama was entering office, some of his technology agenda was put on hold. Almost one hundred days into his presidency, Mr. Obama has yet ....
What is Broadband?
[2009/04/27]
Among the many tasks before the federal agencies administering $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus funds is defining broadband for the ....
Broadband stimulus hopefuls race to define 'broadband'
[2009/04/24]
One of the principal tasks now undertaken by the agencies that will distribute roughly $7.2 billion in federal broadband stimulus funds is defining what exactly they mean by "broadband." In addition to other key terms such as "unserved" and "underserved areas....
Stimulus funds could connect more rural areas to broadband
[2009/04/24]
Not far beyond the Nashville city limits, the information superhighway runs into a dirt road. The high-speed computer connections most urban residents and businesses take for granted are nowhere to be found in many rural, and not-so-rural, areas in Middle Tennessee. The federal government is hoping ....
Virginia, Pennsylvania Discuss State Maps of Broadband Availability
[2009/04/22]
With the fast-moving broadband stimulus package almost certain to stretch the capabilities of federal agencies such as the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, state governments and agencies say they can help expedite ....
Industry Weighs In On $7.2 Billion Broadband Stimulus Plan
[2009/04/20]
More than 1,400 trade associations, municipalities, companies and individuals weighed in on the federal government's $7.2 billion broadband stimulus plan, offering their takes on the definitions of two terms that could determine the program's ....
U.S. Has Some Catching Up to Do
[2009/04/20]
The latest report from broadband research firm Point Topic shows Asia leading in fiber optics, which delivers the fattest pipes, and the U.S. ranked 24th globally in per capita broadband penetration, a sad spot for the nation that invented the Internet. The report defines "broadband" as connections with speeds of at least 256 kbps in ....
FCC aims to close gap in broadband Web access
[2009/04/19]
After a decade of letting the market decide who gets high-speed Internet service and when they get it, the Federal Communications Commission is poised to take an active role ....
Broadband Internet could give rural residents access to jobs
[2009/04/19]
Four days a week, J.T. Burnett dons headphones and types at her computer for hours. It would be the perfect stay-at-home job - transcribing medical records via the Internet - if she could do ....
Tennessee: Area could get broadband grants
[2009/04/16]
Businesses, nonprofit organizations and local governments will be able to apply for billions of dollars in federal stimulus money in the coming months to help expand broadband Internet access in rural areas. Tennessee may receive more than ....
Regulatory Tug-of-War for Broadband Stimulus
[2009/04/15]
With more than 1,400 comments for how the broadband stimulus grants should be awarded, agencies have their hands full in setting rules for application period ....
Broadband stimulus hopefuls get application advice: Hurry
[2009/04/15]
Of all the myriad requirements and guidelines governing the dissemination of the federal government’s $7.2-billion broadband stimulus package, perhaps the most important – applicants....
Fresh Hope for Broadband
[2009/04/15]
Speedy Internet infrastructure has been slow coming. But states are eager to use stimulus money to change that ....
Agencies flooded with comments about broadband stimulus
[2009/04/15]
Two U.S. agencies soliciting comments about how to spend $7.2 billion in broadband deployment money have received about 1,400 comments, with conflicting....
Broadband Stimulus Grants a Regulatory Tug-of-War
[2009/04/15]
With more than 1,400 comments for how the broadband stimulus grants should be awarded, agencies have their hands full in setting rules for application period. The polls have closed, and now all the businesses, public agencies ....
Broadband Stimulus Funds Up for Grabs
[2009/04/14]
Now that money from the $787 billion economic stimulus is starting to flow, the jockeying for control over some of those funds is heating up. State officials argue that they often know best how to divvy up the portion ....
Broadband stimulus working, Adtran says
[2009/04/15]
The federal broadband stimulus program is already churning up activity among lower-tier carriers that had previously fallen into malaise, according to Adtran, the access equipment vendor ....
Stimulus money could bring broadband to rural homes
[2009/04/12]
JANESVILLE — Rural residents limited to slow, dial-up Internet connections might get relief through the federal stimulus package. But first the government wants to know where ....
Eyeing the broadband stimulus skeptically
[2009/04/13]
Not all telecom service providers are eager to get broadband stimulus funds, given the uncertainty that still surrounds the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. At last week's MetaSwitch Forum 2009, in fact, a number of service providers ....
Broadband Firms Waiting to Apply for Stimulus Funds
[2009/04/13]
Before funds can be dolled out the FCC must offer guidelines and definitions of underserved areas. The U.S. broadband infrastructure is significantly lacking in many ....
FCC Launches Development of National Broadband Plan
[2009/04/13]
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC; www.fcc.gov) has begun the process of developing a national broadband plan that will seek to ensure that every American has access to broadband capability. In the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009-informally known as "the stimulus package"-Congress charged ....
Thoughts on Our National Broadband Strategy
[2009/04/13]
Hello, everyone. This is the first in what I hope will be a series of blogs on broadband and telecommunications policy issues. First, an important caveat: Although I am a telecommunications lawyer, I will not plug my ....
Huge Struggle Over Broadband Looms
[2009/04/13]
The Australian government is moving ahead with a $31 billion national broadband network that will operate on a structurally separated, wholesale-only basis, with all licensed retail providers able to buy and use the network. The network aims to connect 90 percent of Australian homes ....
FCC Starts Work on National Broadband Plan
[2009/04/9]
The Federal Communications Commission announced today that it has begun developing a national broadband plan to ensure that every U.S. citizen has access to broadband services. The commission has been charged with developing the plan as part ....
FCC re-boots broadband discussion
[2009/04/9]
The Federal Communications Commission yesterday opened a 60-day public comment period on the issue of national broadband expansion and policy. That comment period will be followed ....
FCC Boots Up National Broadband Plan
[2009/04/9]
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously approved a measure this morning that will seek public input about how to proceed with a "national broadband plan" that aims to bring affordable high-speed Internet access....
FCC moves towards National Broadband Policy
[2009/04/8]
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has taken the first step toward creating a strategy to roll out broadband to every corner of the country, with a vote Wednesday to seek public comment on how to write a national ....
FCC opens debate on national broadband plan
[2009/04/8]
The FCC voted unanimously to approve a notice of inquiry seeking comment on the creation of a national broadband plan, a first step toward the goal of providing ....
With Unanimous Excitement, FCC Kicks Off National Broadband Plan
[2009/04/8]
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved a notice of inquiry seeking comments on the FCC's role in developing a national broadband strategy - a key part of the broadband stimulus portion ....
The Stimulus and the Future of Due Diligence
[2009/04/5]
The economic crisis certainly suggests a way of doing things that is not business as usual. That's great in theory -- we are up against it, after all -- but problems arise when the emergency measures run ....
Broadband Stimulus: Economic Crisis Drives New Thinking
[2009/04/5]
The economic crisis that's hammering the U.S. has created space for innovative thinking and new ideas. "The age of market fundamentalism, with its ideological ....
F2C: How to Get Broadband Stimulus Cash
[2009/04/7]
In order to obtain some of the money in the $7.2 billion broadband stimulus, organizations will need to prove that they are competent and can ....
What's 'broadband'? Billions in stimulus funds are at stake
[2009/04/7]
Congress has earmarked $7.2 billion in stimulus aid to deploy broadband in underserved parts of the USA. But what does that mean....
FCC set to tackle national broadband plan
[2009/04/5]
The Federal Communications Commission is still awaiting a new chairman who has not yet been approved by Congress, but that isn't stopping the agency from starting ....
Sorting through the broadband stimulus package
[2009/04/6]
The public comment phase of the broadband stimulus is still being sorted out, but it is clear that Congress got a few things right with the plan, according to industry analyst ....
Legislators See 'Underserved' Definition as First Step for Broadband Stimulus
[2009/04/5]
Proper oversight of the $7.2 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program can only take place if key terms are defined properly, a panel of agency officials and policy experts told a congressional committee on....
Boucher Wants Cable To Play The NTIA/RUS Grant Game
[2009/04/3]
The NTIA/RUS broadband grant program is “a landmark opportunity” for the cable industry, House Energy and Commerce Communications Subcommittee chairman Rick Boucher, D-Va., said Thursday ....
NARUC Ratchets Up Call for State Involvement in Disbursement of Broadband Stimulus Funds
[2009/04/2]
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners on Thursday ratcheted up their call for greater state involvement in disbursement and use of the $7.2 billion broadband stimulus funds with a letter to top Commerce and ....
States want more say in stimulus spending
[2009/04/2]
State utility commissioners and tech companies are fighting over how Washington should distribute $7 billion in stimulus funds to increase Internet broadband access across ....
First Stimulus Oversight Hearing: Mostly Listening, But A Few Important Points
[2009/04/2]
One of the standard ways in Washington to influence administrative processes is via Congressional Oversight Hearings. Mind you, Congress is supposed to exercise reasonable oversight over the Administration, so this is a feature rather than a bug. But it also means that professional tea-leaf readers focus on these hearings to see what witnesses get ....
Verizon, AT&T Blocking Rural Broadband Stimulus?
[2009/04/1]
Verizon, Comcast, AT&T and other large wireless carriers and cable companies are behind lobbying efforts in state legislatures around the country to prohibit local governments from using federal stimulus money to build and manage their own ....
Gensee County sees opportunity in rural broadband stimulus package
[2009/04/1]
The Obama stimulus package includes $7.2 billion to help rural America access the Internet more easily, and officials in Genesee County would like to ensure some of that money benefits ....
Big Telcos Bluffing About Refusing Broadband Stimulus Bucks
[2009/04/1]
The feds plan to hand out some $7.2 billion in stimulus grants to companies that will deliver broadband to communities that have none, but Verizon and AT&T are making noises like they won't apply for the money because there are too many strings ....