Monday, November 9th, 2009
By Rahul Gaitonde, Reporter, BroadbandCensus.com
WASHINGTON, November 9, 2009 - On Friday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced seven new state recipients of the state broadband data and development grant program. These grants fund state efforts to map broadband availability and speeds. Each state was asked to pick a designated entity – either a state body or a non-profit organization – that would develop a plan for how broadband mapping would be conducted.
Of the seven states awarded grants on Friday, two choose to fully internalize their process and have state agencies control the mapping.
In Alabama, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs was tasked; they received $1.4 million for broadband data collection and mapping activities and $463,000 for broadband planning activities both for over a two- year period.
In Washington State, the Department of Information Services received $1.7 million for data collection and mapping and almost $500,000 for broadband planning activities both for over a two-year period.
Wyoming and Idaho, by contrast, choose to contract their mapping to the Puget Sound Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology, a Seattle based non-profit. Wyoming received $1.3 million for data collection and mapping over a two-year period and $500,000 for broadband planning activities...
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Monday, August 31st, 2009
From BroadbandCensus.com Weekly Report
WASHINGTON, August 31, 2009 – Although the NTIA and RUS are expected to release the names of the applicants for broadband stimulus funding later this week, the names of many of the applicants are emerging through press releases and through reporting by a wide variety of organizations.
States playing active roles in the federal broadband stimulus are emerging as key aggregators of grant applications, including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland and New Mexico. Each of these states is responsible for bundling more than $100 million in applicants by governmental, private or quasi-public entities within their jurisdictions.
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[private_yearly]Among the major private sector players eying federal stimulus funds include KeyOn, a wireless broadband providers in Omaha, Neb., going for more $150 mil¬lion in funding to expand its WiMax network http://gigaom.com/2009/08/19/wireless-cos-ask-for-169-6m-in-stimulus-bucks-wheres-wire¬line/; Leap Wireless, which operates the Cricket brand of cell phone service, which is seeking $8.6 million; Yonder Media, with a rural WiMax plan, and possibly also Level 3. http://telephonyonline.com/independent/news/level3-broad¬band-stimulus-funding-0817/ SkyTerra’s application for funds is under the Sustainable Adoption Program, and it includes a letter of support from Motorola. http://www.skyterra.com/me¬dia/press-releases-view.cfm?id=216&yr=2009
Illinois is shepherding one of the most substantial group of applicant...
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Thursday, September 11th, 2008
Broadband Census Maryland
By Drew Bennett, Special Correspondent, BroadbandCensus.com
This is the 12th of a series of articles surveying the state of broadband, and broadband data, within each of the United States.
September 11 - Being a first-mover is a blessing and a curse. When it comes to state-led broadband initiatives, Maryland has been an early innovator at confronting the long road towards state-wide universal broadband access.
Among the most recent accomplishments for the state was, two months ago, Gov. Martin O’Malley’s approval of a license allowing the Maryland Broadband Cooperative to begin installing broadband fiber up the eastern shore of Maryland and across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
It’s another milestone in a road that is now over a decade long.
In 1998, the Maryland General Assembly created the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) “as a public instrumentality of the state” and tasked it with funding technology-focused programs and initiatives contributing to Maryland’s economic and business development.
By 2002, TEDCO had completed a comprehensive state-wide eReadiness study. It led to TEDCO’s recommendation that Maryland develop a broadband task force to address deficits in broadband connectivity in rural parts of the state. The legislature accepted TEDCO’s recommendation, approving funding for the Task Force for the Development of...
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Thursday, July 17th, 2008
News
By William G. Korver, Reporter, BroadbandCensus.com
ELKRIDGE, MARYLAND, July 16 – The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday began field testing wireless internet devices that transmit signals over broadcast television frequencies by examining the reliability of prototypes designed by Motorola and Philips Electronics at a state park here.
The tests are part of an FCC proceeding to consider allowing low-power internet devices to use vacant television frequencies, or “white spaces.” About 12 sites will be tested over a period of four weeks, according to the FCC. Laboratory tests have already been taken on several of these devices.
On this first day of field testing, Motorola's device appeared to perform better than did Philips'. The Motorola device took less time to scan for available frequencies, and did not transmit signals over frequencies reserved for other uses.
Both devices were tested twice from two separate locations in the Avalon parking area of the Patapsco Valley State Park here, about three-quarters of the way from Washington to Baltimore.
The measurements were taken in a van in the parking lot. An antennae was placed 30 feet in the air to simulate a residence and to measure television signal strength.
Tests were not taken on devices designed by Adaptrum and I2R on...
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