Federal governement begins broadband mapping awards

NTIA Hands Out First Broadband Stimulus Grants [Broadband Reports]

Yesterday marked the first awards for four states under the federal broadband stimulus program. In the economic recovery act, passed by Congress and signed by President Obama in February, $7.2 billion was allocated to map broadband availability and construct broadband infrastructure in areas not currently served by broadband. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), one of the federal agencies charged with dispersing the broadband stimulus, announced yesterday that California, Indiana, Vermont and North Carolina have been awarded grants to map broadband.

While other states' grants for broadband mapping will be announced later, the NTIA wanted to single out these first four states awards for having, "well-formed proposals that are both fiscally prudent and serve as a model for others."

In order to begin awarding grants for broadband infrastructure in areas not served by broadband, it's crucial that the government have a good understanding of where broadband currently exists. In Indiana, we're looking forward to working with the Indiana Office of Technology, the agency designated to map Indiana's broadband availability, in creating this map.

Comments

[Richard]

Michael,

I hope that when you say working with, means providing truthfull, non-spin raw data to them. If broadband mapping is to work, the serving ISP's need to truthfully say that XX address is able to be serviced by us, and we offer this level of services. And not what it has been, we serve XXXXX zipcode, and only one house can get it.