Rise Broadband Cites Connect America Fund Program for Broadband Expansion, Adds 10 ‘Enhanced’ Broadband Markets

Broadband wireless provider Rise Broadband issued a press release today noting that it had expanded its network in 10 market areas in conjunction with the Federal Communications Commission’s Connect America Fund (CAF) program. Rise apparently is referring to new buildouts supported, at least in part, by the funding that the company received through the rural broadband experiment (RBE) program, part of the overall CAF program for broadband expansion in rural markets. RBE was a one-time $100 million element of the CAF program that was designed to bring broadband to unserved areas but also to gain market information to help in shaping the reverse auction planned for the CAF program. Rise won $16.9 million in this iteration of the CAF program for broadband expansion in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Texas — and apparently is using the funding to deploy broadband wireless service using long-term evolution (LTE) technology supporting speeds up to 50 Mbps.