Government awarding $4.8 billion for broadband programs

The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), in conjunction with the USDA's Rural Utilities Service (RUS), announced on January 15 that $4.8 billion in stimulus fund money, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), has been set aside for grants and loans to expand broadband access across the United States. This is the second round of funding for this program.

In Ohio, Connect Ohio was formed as a public/private venture to map the state's infrastructure and availability of high-speed access for residents and companies. Their study showed that there are vast pockets in Van Wert County, mainly in the western half, that do not have broadband access...