Some Broadband Stimulus Awardees Finally Announced

The Obama administration on Thursday was expected to distribute the first chunk of broadband stimulus money at a press conference in Dawsonville, Ga.

Vice President Joe Biden was slated to announce the first 18 projects that will receive the funding. The awardees include the North Georgia Network Cooperative, for a fiber-optic ring to bring broadband near the Appalachian Mountains; the Biddleford Internet Corp. partnership between the University of Maine and service providers to build three fiber-optic rings across rural parts of that state; and the Consolidated Electric Cooperative in Ohio for building a fiber network.

Other recipients include Alaska Native Corp., which will build a 4G wireless network; Arizona libraries; and New Hampshire, for FTTH projects.

The Associated Press reported that the Obama administration plans to award $2 billion in grants and loans on a rolling basis over the next 75 days. On Thursday, the Rural Utilities Service was set to announce $53.8 million in funding for eight projects, while the National Telecommunications and Information Administration was handing out $129 million for 10 projects.