Broadband Stimulus Program for Rural America

Virginia Meeting Features 4G, WiMAX Presentations

By Alexa Champion Marks
As featured in The Wireless Journal (January/February 2010)

Opening the Virginia Wireless Association meeting on Tuesday, June 16, at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, President Edward Roach gave a message of inspiration, explaining that "innovation and technology are the catalysts to getting through tough times" and that "industry is poised to help the economy recover."

Roach went on to emphasize that the purpose of the Virginia state association, as it is with the other 25 stake-holders together on a regular basis so they may share information and network. He added that after the initial downturn of the early 2000s, the wireless industry has done well.

Read the complete article. (PDF)

Broadband Wireless: The Right Fit for Rural/Small Markets

By John Celentano, market development manager for broadband wireless in rural/small markets, TESSCO Technologies.

Broadband wireless systems offer the best fit for delivering high-speed Internet service in rural and small markets, especially where telephone, cable and Internet Service Provider (ISP) wired networks run out. Here’s why.

NTIA/RUS Release Details on Broadband Stimulus Funds Available

Article courtesy of Wireless Estimator

The Departments of Agriculture and Commerce have released details on how entities can apply for funds allocated for broadband grants, loans, and loan guarantees under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) is available here and describes the procedures necessary for applying for stimulus money to fund broadband initiatives.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is administering the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program portion of the funding, and the Rural Utilities Service, which is administering the Broadband Initiatives Program portion of the funding, have each released two page fact sheets on their programs which are available for download (BTOP Fact Sheet ).

The government will allow private companies to bid for BTOP money and has defined broadband as 768 kbps downstream, 200kbps upstream, according to the just-released guidelines for broadband stimulus funds.

Definitions have been provided for the broadband infrastructure category — up to $1.2 billion — for funded projects that deliver broadband service through last mile or middle mile facilities to unserved and underserved areas.

Unserved Area: An area composed of one or more contiguous census blocks where at least 90 percent of households in the proposed funded service area lack access to facilities-based, terrestrial broadband service, either fixed or mobile, at the minimum broadband speed.

Underserved Area: Last Mile Projects—an area composed of one or more contiguous census blocks where at least one of the following is met: 1) no more than 50 percent of households in the proposed funded service area have access to facilities-based, terrestrial broadband service at greater than the minimum broadband speed; 2) no fixed or mobile broadband service provider advertises broadband speeds of at least 3 Mbps downstream in the proposed funded service area; or 3) the rate of broadband subscribership for the proposed service area is 40 percent of households or less. Middle Mile Projects—an area composed of one or more contiguous census blocks where one interconnection point terminates in a census block area(s) that qualifies as unserved or underserved for Last Mile projects.

Don't Work On Your Application Process Alone—TESSCO is Here To Help

What do I do about getting stimulus money? Will I qualify? What are the rules? How do I apply? How long do I have?

With over 27 years as the trusted supplier to the wireless industry, TESSCO can help you navigate through all the confusion. By leveraging the relationships with the TESSCO-approved partners, we are your ONE source to take advantage of the Broadband Stimulus Funds.