The Rural Utilities Service announced its final Broadband Initiatives Program award Tuesday for the first funding round, the day after second round applications were due. NTIA has yet to finish making first round grant announcements, though the final deadline for second round Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program applications was Friday.
The Rural Utilities Service announced its final Broadband Initiatives Program award Tuesday for the first funding round, the day after second round applications were due. NTIA has yet to finish making first round grant announcements, though the final deadline for second round Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program applications was Friday.
On March 26, 2010, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano highlighted the U.S.' significant progress in securing the U.S.-Mexico border one year after the Obama administration announced the Southwest Border Initiative - a series of steps to crack down on Mexican drug cartels by deploying additional personnel and technology, increasing information sharing, working closely with the Mexican government, and improving federal coordination with state, local and tribal law enforcement authorities. (Press release, dated 03/26/10, available at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1269622234690.shtm)
NTIA awarded more than $63 million in grants that will increase broadband access and adoption in more than a dozen states. The projects will lay the groundwork to bring enhanced high-speed Internet access to thousands of households and businesses and link hundreds of schools, hospitals and other anchor institutions to the information superhighway, NTIA said in a release. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority was awarded $32.2 million to connect parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The City of Chicago was awarded $7 million and Fayetteville (N.C.) State University received $1 million to provide access at a public community center. Other grants were for projects in several other states, including Virginia, Vermont, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
NTIA awarded more than $63 million in grants that will increase broadband access and adoption in more than a dozen states. The projects will lay the groundwork to bring enhanced high-speed Internet access to thousands of households and businesses and link hundreds of schools, hospitals and other anchor institutions to the information superhighway, NTIA said in a release. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority was awarded $32.2 million to connect parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The City of Chicago was awarded $7 million and Fayetteville (N.C.) State University received $1 million to provide access at a public community center. Other grants were for projects in several other states, including Virginia, Vermont, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
LAS VEGAS -- Commissioners will next week get a calendar laying out basic timing of the rulemakings and other actions that follow up on the National Broadband Plan, FCC officials said at the spring CTIA meeting. Commissioners won’t vote on the schedule but it’s expected to be discussed at the April 22 meeting.
On March 23, 2010, Secretary of State Clinton met with Mexican Foreign Secretary Espinosa for the Merida U.S.-Mexico High Level Consultative Group meeting.
The FCC approved Tuesday by a unanimous vote a brief statement of principles on broadband. FCC Republicans Robert McDowell and Meredith Baker were sharply critical of some aspects of the plan itself, which was not put up for a vote before being submitted to Congress. Both found lots to like in the plan but said it must not be used as a lever for imposing more regulation. Agency officials said the FCC will offer a list in coming days of more than 40 rulemakings that will be begun as a follow-up to the plan.
The FCC approved Tuesday by a unanimous vote a brief statement of principles on broadband. FCC Republicans Robert McDowell and Meredith Baker were sharply critical of some aspects of the plan itself, which was not put up for a vote before being submitted to Congress. Both found lots to like in the plan but said it must not be used as a lever for imposing more regulation. Agency officials said the FCC will offer a list in coming days of more than 40 rulemakings that will be begun as a follow-up to the plan.
The FCC should hold off on approving the transfer of spectrum from Verizon to AT&T in an area covering the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation until litigation is resolved between the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Verizon Wireless, the tribe said in a letter to the FCC. The tribe said Verizon has reneged on a 2000 agreement in which the tribe agreed to support Western Wireless’s designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier. In return, the carrier committed to “providing a specified level of service on the Reservation, would share some revenues with the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and ultimately would turn over the network and spectrum” used to provide the service at Pine Ridge to the Oglala Sioux. Western Wireless subsequently was bought by Alltel, which was acquired by Verizon. “The Tribe has attempted for months to negotiate with Verizon, to no avail. Having no other option, the Tribe is now attempting to schedule a hearing in Tribal Court to resolve the issue,” the letter said. “Verizon is using every tactic it can to delay a Tribal Court hearing,” it said, and it unsuccessfully challenged a scheduled Tribal Court hearing in federal district court. The court summarily rejected Verizon’s argument, but “the tactic was successful in delaying a Tribal Court hearing,” it said.