FCC Boosts Funding For Rural Broadband

If you venture outside of large cities in many areas of the country, you quickly realize there is no broadband capability in many instances. Rural broadband initiatives are one of the things that Obama and the White House have been pushing. The FCC has announced this week that $300 million has been set aside to extend the high-speed Internet access to 400,000 homes.

The money will also be used to extend broadband access to businesses and other so-called anchor institutions in rural America. The money is being given as part of the Connect America Fund that was created last October. The $300 million comes from savings generated by conditions placed on the Universal Service Fund that was used previously to ensure all Americans had phone service.

The SEC is giving telecommunications companies 90 days to decide whether they plan to participate in the program. The program reportedly has aggressive build out requirements as a condition of accepting money from the program. Carriers are not required to participate in the effort, but the FCC believes that nationwide, improvements will be significant.

[via TheHill]