Stimulus Broadband Requirements Being Written for Locals

Stimulus broadband eligibility requirements in progress will decide how local governments, nonprofits and vendors get their shares of the $7.2 billion for local broadband stimulus detailed in President Barack Obama's signed stimulus bill. Local governments should participate in the public comment periods the two federal agencies will likely hold before inking their eligibility requirements formally, warned Craig Settles, a municipal broadband analyst. Given that vendors and nonprofits will compete for the dollars alongside governments, municipalities should at least demand requirements forcing vendors and nonprofits to collaborate with cities and counties on any deployments, Settles recommended. With no local government input, vendors and nonprofits could build networks that grow their own bottom lines, but don't serve the goals of the local governments. For example, a municipality might want the network to support job creation, health care, telemedicine and digital inclusion. Different forms of broadband serve different types of goals better than others. Local governments should also insist that the NTIA and RUS keep state bureaucrats and legislators out of the process, Settles cautioned.