NTIA to Pitch Broadband Loan Successes

The House Subcommittee on Communications & Technology has scheduled a hearing May 16 on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act broadband loans and grants, and the Obama Administration is expected to argue that those programs are generating jobs and spurring innovation.

The National Telecommunications & Information Administration oversees the Broadband technology Opportunities Program grant program, while the Agriculture Department's Rural Utilities Service handles the Broadband Initiatives Program. Look for NTIA to highlight the following at the hearing.

NTIA grantees say they have:

• Deployed or upgraded more than 45,000 miles of broadband infrastructure
• Installed more than 29,000 workstations in public computer centers
• Instituted programs that have led to more than 260,000 new broadband subscribers including some businesses
• Approximately 300 interconnection agreements in the works

NTIA will also argue that its BTOP projects are "generally" on track, are creating jobs, and spurring economic growth.