Feds tout broadband stimulus gains

The first round of broadband stimulus awards from the Rural Utilities Service should create about 5000 “immediate and direct jobs” and bring broadband to 530,000 U.S. households, said U. S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today on a conference call.

Noting that 14 million rural residents do not currently have access to broadband, Vilsack said, “We’re committed to bridging the gap.”

Vilsack also shared other highlights of a report issued by the RUS that summarizes the results of the first stimulus round. The RUS made a total of 68 awards, which also will help bring broadband to 93,000 businesses.

After broadband is more widely available in rural America, he said, “farmers and ranchers will have up to the minute commodity and weather information and business owners will be able to strengthen distribution channels.” In addition, he said, rural Americans would have access to medical specialists and distance learning and “first responders will have the tools to keep their communities safer.”

The first round of stimulus funding emphasized fiber-based wireline projects, even though a recent FCC study found broadband wireless to be the more economical option for bringing broadband to the majority of unserved areas. Asked if he expected to see more emphasis on wireless in the second round, Vilsack was non-committal.

“It would be difficult for government to pick the winning technology,” he said. The stimulus program, he added, was based on “listening to people at the grass-roots level and letting the market determine the best technology for their area.”

Connected Planet recently spoke with three of the 68 RUS award winners. Read more about their projects here:

http://connectedplanetonline.com/independent/news/stimulus-projects-generating-jobs-060210/

http://connectedplanetonline.com/independent/news/rural-telephone-targets-100-mbs-0608/