USDA Announces New Proposed Rules for Broadband in Rural Communities

USDA ANNOUNCES NEW PROPOSED RULES FOR BROADBAND IN RURAL COMMUNITIES
[SOURCE: US Department of Agriculture]
On Friday, Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas C. Dorr announced the publication of new proposed rules designed to facilitate the further deployment of broadband services to rural communities nationwide. Key elements include: 1) Promoting deployment to rural areas with little or no service; 2) Ensuring that residents in funded areas get broadband access more quickly; 3) Limiting funding in urban areas and areas where a significant share of the market is served by incumbent providers; 4) Clarifying and streamlining equity and marketing survey requirements; 5) Increasing the transparency of the application process, including legal notice requirements, to make more informed lending/borrowing decisions; 6) Promoting a better understanding of all application requirements, including market survey, competitive analysis, business plan, and system design requirements; and 7) ensuring that projects funding are keeping pace with increasing demand for bandwidth.
http://www.dailywireless.org/2007/05/14/rural-broadband-gets-a-plan/