Washington
State is the latest to
get broadband stimulus money from the National Telecommunication and
Information Administration.
NTIA said Monday (March 1) it would give out $84 million in
grants for community anchor institutions including schools, libraries and
government buildings.
NTIA is focusing on those institutions as ways to drive
adoption and deployment.
The Washington
State grant will provide
an additional 830 miles of fiber backbone and new microwave sites. Among the
newly-connected areas will be a number of tribal centers and clinics.
That announcement comes a day before FCC Chairman Julius
Genachowski is scheduled to talk to the National Congress of American Indians about
the national broadband plans' proposals for improving access and adoption on
tribal lands.
NTIA and the Department of Agriculture together are giving
out $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus funds. The Washington State
grant is projected to create almost 2,000 jobs, according to Sen. Maria
Cantwell (D-Wash.).
NTIA is accepting bids through March 15 for a second round
of funding.
