Biden announces $4 billion in broadband stimulus funds
July 1, 2009
Vice President Joe Biden today announced the availability of $4 billion in loans and grants aimed at expanding broadband access to rural and underserved communities.
The Recovery Act provided a total of $7.2 billion to the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to accelerate broadband deployment in unserved, underserved and rural areas.
The Department of Agriculture will use approximately $2 billion to provide grants, while the remaining funds will be used to make up to $7 billion in loans, Biden announced.
NTIA will receive $4.7 billion to implement the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, intended to deploy broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas, expand public computer center capacity and encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service.
NTIA and RUS will be accepting applications for loans, grants and loan/grant combinations to be awarded by each agency under a single application form. Applications will be accepted beginning July 14, 2009 through 5:00 p.m. EDT August 14, 2009.
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