The deadline for applying for the first $4 billion of broadband stimulus money has come and gone, and a number of companies and groups have announced bids.
Unstrung has compiled an initial list of companies and groups that have applied for funds. Where possible we've included how much they asked for, how the money would be used, and the funding program to which the companies have applied.
This is clearly not a comprehensive list. Some operators and groups haven't announced bids yet, while the first-round winners won't be unveiled until September at the earliest. We invite readers to send in any updates they think applicable, and we'll add them to the table. Please send email updates to editors@unstrung.com.
Table 1: Broadband Stimulus Applicants
Company/Group
Amount
Project
Areas
Program
360networks
TBA
Fiber optic network
Western US
TBA
Champion WiFi
$2.7M
City WiFi network
Monrovia, CA.
BTOP
Clearwire
TBA
Mobile WiMax
TBA
TBA
Cricket Communications
$8.6M
High-speed wireless Internet access
Multiple Cities
TBD
DigitalBridge
$100M
WiMax
TBA
TBA
ERF Wireless
$20M
Rural WiMax
LA, TX
TBA
IBEC
TBA
BPL
Ala.
TBD
Internet America Inc
TBA
Fixed Wireless
Rural Texas
BTOP/BIP
KeyOn Corp.
$150M
WiMax network
Nationwide
BIP
Level 3 Comms.
Less than $50M
Improving amplifier stations
Kan., Tenn.
TBD
National Medical Wireless Broadband Alliance
TBD
Wireless medical networks
70 U.S. hospitals
BTOP
OpenCape
$40M
Fiber optic network
Mass., NE
BTOP
SkyTerra Comms
$37M
Develop 700 Mhz public safety devices
N/A
BTOP
TDS Telecom
TBD
Wireline
13 U.S. states
BIP
TowerStream Corp.
$120M
WiMax
17 underserved metro areas
BTOP
WildBlue Comms
$30M
Satellite broadband
Ariz., Colo., Wyom.
BTOP
Xfone
TBD
Wireline
TBD
TBD
Yonder Media
$9.4M
Internet access in remote areas
Nev., Calif.
TBD
BIP Broadband Initiatives Program BTOP Broadband Technology Opportunities Program TBA To Be Announced TBD To Be Determined Sources: Unstrung, Cable Digital News, Business Week
In this first round of funding, there's about $2.4 billion available under the rural Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) for deploying broadband in the boondocks. Meanwhile, up to $1.6 billion is available in the Broadband Technologies Initiative Program (BTOP), which is intended to promote new broadband technology in unserved and underserved communities.
Overall, $7.6 billion will be paid out under the broadband element of the Recovery Act. Of this, up to $4.7 billion is due to be paid out under BTOP funding by the end of September 2010. The next rounds are expected to get underway in the spring and fall of 2010. (See Recovery Act: Bids Come In.)
States and cities such as NYC and Philadelphia were also expected to make bids for funds. Unstrung will create a separate chart for those bids if and when more data is available.
Clearwire is tiny today. It COULD become big but today has much less than 1 Million subscribers. When people are talking about the RLECs as opposed to the IOCs generally they are talking about companies that break that million line mark.
DigitalBridge should also be on this list -- think they are on the record saying they are looking for $100M+ in lots of new markets. Remember the deal they did with the NRTC -- rural ops -- so expect to see them in the mix too.
Aren't some states also applying directly for these funds?
Thanks!
I think you're right, a lot of the bigger operators just didn't see enough incentive in money+conditions to get into really rural areas.
There's still might be some interesting names and data points to come though, for instance:
-- Did MetroPCS apply for money?
-- Did CenturyTel apply for money towards its LTE rollout?
Also remember this is only the first round. The next two might have more focus on under-served areas in cities.
DJ
Don't get me wrong. I think you did good work here. I am just pointing out that telecom carriers, especially publicly traded ones, have probably looked at the banks and the auto companies and decided they don't want government money. Also, what is the business case for serving very rural areas where paying customers are few and far between? I know it's early but so far Broadband Stimulus looks like its failing. It may be a boon for start-up wireless and satellite companies but on a larger scale so far not so good.
I don't think the full extent of those that bid for monies has been revealed yet. I wanted to do something that we can add to over time.
A lot of the larger carriers weren't interested though. The Act stipulates network sharing and disclosure of some behind-the-scenes fees that most of the big guns would prefer not to give up I suspect.
How is the government going to gove away $4.2 billion for these little carriers/projects? Something is wrong. The larger carriers like the RLECs don't seem to want the money.
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