In 2009, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the U.S. government allocated $7.2 billion in loans and grants for broadband infrastructure projects in rural areas to make Internet access more widely available, boost economic growth and create jobs. Two agencies administer these funds:

• National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), through a program named Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP)
• Rural Utility Service (RUS), through a program called Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP).

The agencies began accepting Round 1 applications in 2009. NTIA and RUS began announcing awards from this first round, stating that a total of $2 billion will be awarded through February 2010.

Round 2 Applications: February 16 - March 16, 2010

A second – and final – window for applications will open from February 16 through March 16, 2010. An additional $4.55 billion will be made available for broadband infrastructure projects. NTIA and RUS have responded to feedback from Round 1 by substantially simplifying the process, particularly:

• The criteria to define unserved and underserved have been eliminated from consideration
• RUS/BIP will focus on last-mile projects, while NTIA/BTOP will focus on middle-mile projects.

At the same time, NTIA and RUS have emphasized focusing on projects that benefit whole communities including "anchor institutions" – such libraries, community centers, hospitals, etc. Those prospective applicants who form partnerships with community anchor institutions as part of their application will maximize their probability of success.

Exalt Stretches Broadband Stimulus Funds

One of the challenges to bringing broadband to rural communities is network backhaul capacity. Leasing lines – if they are even available – comes with high setup and monthly recurring costs. And trenching fiber is prohibitively expensive in middle-mile and last-mile networks – if it is even possible geographically.

The most cost-effective alternative to leased lines and fiber to ensure the highest reliability at the lowest cost is Exalt microwave backhaul.

All Exalt systems offer:

• Guaranteed link availability
• Guaranteed throughput
• Low, constant latency
• Native support for both TDM and Ethernet
• Remote configurability and upgradeability
• An embedded manual to simplify installation and maintenance, and most include a built-in spectrum analyzer.

Register with Exalt To Receive the Latest Broadband Stimulus Alerts

Register here and you’ll receive up-to-the-minute information on the BIP and BTOP application process, and related news from Exalt.