The Missouri plan for broadband stimulus

The Missouri plan to achieve statewide broadband access by 2014, funded with federal stimulus money, may well represent the best model for stimulus applicants to follow to improve their odds of winning.

The Show-Me State is looking to partner with various public and private entities to fill in its objectives, including Big River Telephone Company, which, although based in Missouri, operates in several states.

The fact that at least one award must be given to each state puts state governments in a unique position — plus, federal administrators will be working with states on broadband mapping efforts. Each state would do well to start with a focus on universal (or near-universal) coverage in some form and then build a public/private coalition that can collectively achieve that goal.

One of the benefits of the approach is critical mass. If a state government is building a coalition for a broadband stimulus bid, why would a city in that state — or a small independent operator — submit its own application and risk losing to the state? Seems like a safer bet to just join the state coalition and have everyone throw their weight behind that.

The problem with this approach, of course, has been obvious since the NTIA first encouraged applicants to partner up for a better chance at winning: Too many chefs in the kitchen can spoil a pot, and chefs are a lot more competent than politicians. Multicity broadband initiatives have been hard to pull off, in large part because it’s so hard to reach consensus.

And the clock is ticking. Applications for the first of three funding waves will be accepted from July 14 to August 14. For groups that can unify — quickly — around an effective leader at the state level, there’s a lot of money to be had.

E-mail me at ed.gubbins@penton.com.