Second round stimulus applicants include Motorola, Echostar, and XO Communications

Perhaps the most surprising name among the applicants for Round 2 broadband stimulus infrastructure funds from the National Telecommunications and Information Agency is Motorola, which is seeking $50.5 million for an emergency first responder network in the San Francisco Bay area based on wireless long-term evolution technology.

Like other projects seeking funding from the NTIA, the network also would provide connectivity to anchor institutions such as universities and hospitals. Motorola's application was among 355 submitted to the NTIA for infrastructure projects in Round 2. The funding requested totaled $11 billion, and applicants offered to commit an additional $4.5 billion in matching funds to support their projects. Applicants are vying for $2.6 billion in infrastructure funding available through the NTIA in this round. All NTIA funding is in the form of grants. Numerous small telcos and telco consortia applied for grants for NTIA infrastructure projects in this round, as did many municipalities and universities as well as a few utility and cable companies. One of the larger service provider applicants is also one of the most ambitious. XO Communications is seeking $206 million for a network that would serve eight Western and Midwestern states.