First Broadband Stimulus grants announced

Posted on by joly

Broadband Technologies Opportunities ProgramDec 17: Vice President Biden announced initial recipients of grants in Round 1 of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) for an amount of $183m. The awards, spread across 17 states, will be matched by $46m from public and private contributors. A total of $2bn in awards are to be rolled over the next 75 days.

The National Economic Council today released a report, “Recovery Act Investment in Broadband: Leveraging Federal Dollars to Create Jobs and Connect America” which details how broadband investment will boost the economy.

Two funded projects are in rural New York State.

Funded by the Commerce Dept.:

  • NEW YORK: ION Hold Co., LLC, $39.7 million grant with an additional $9.9 million in matching funds to build 10 new segments of fiber-optic, middle mile broadband infrastructure, serving more than 70 rural communities in upstate New York and parts of Pennsylvania and Vermont.

    • Funded by the Dept. of Agriculture:

  • NEW YORK: Potsdam, Slic Network Solutions (Nicholville Telephone) a grant of $4.3 million and loan of $1.1 million for a 136-mile fiber optic network reaching into five towns in rural Franklin County. This all-fiber network will deliver broadband voice, and IPTV services to remote rural areas. The network will offer service to more than 6,500 locations.

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