Connect America Fund will plug in 600,000 homes

The FCC’s Connect America Fund is granting some $385 million to 44 states and Puerto Rico to “... quickly expand broadband infrastructure to rural communities in every region of the nation. Deployment must be completed within three years.”

Specifically, up to 600,000 homes and small businesses currently lacking broadband will get access. “Providers in 44 states and Puerto Rico requested over $385 million from the Fund – which will be matched with hundreds of millions of their own dollars in many areas.”

According to Acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn:

“This second round of support from the Connect America Fund will leverage private investment and connect hundreds of thousands of rural consumers and businesses to the robust broadband that other communities have long taken for granted.”

Several companies are participating in the program:

CenturyLink announced it would receive $54 million, adding an additional $54 million to the project. And AT&T said that it would “accept up to $100 million from the Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase 1 to deploy broadband to approximately 129,000 locations that lack any fixed broadband service of at least 768 kbps/200 kbps.” Frontier Communications applied for “more than $71.5 million from the Connect America Fund (CAF) to support the delivery of broadband to an additional 119,000 households.” And Windstream Communications “said it will take the $60.4 million in incremental Phase I funding from the Connect America Fund.”

On the other hand, Verizon turned down any funding. According to telecompetitor.com, “Unlike CenturyLink, Verizon has a thriving wireless business and the carrier likely wants to focus its investment dollars in that market, rather than in the less promising rural broadband market.”

Speed Matters supports the Connect America Fund and other public programs designed to increase Americans’ access to high-speed broadband.

Up to 600,000 rural homes and businesses in 44 states and Puerto Rico will gain access to broadband for first time. (FCC news release, Aug. 22, 2013)

CenturyLink Accepts More Than Half of This Year’s Connect America Funding (telecompetitor, Aug. 20, 2013)

AT&T to Deploy Broadband Under FCC’s Connect America Fund Program (AT&T Public Policy Blog, Aug. 20, 2013)

Frontier Communications Files Connect America Fund Applications with the FCC (Market Watch, Aug. 20, 2013)

Windstream accepts $60.4M in CAF I funds for rural broadband extension (FierceTelecom, Aug. 21, 2013)



Verizon Again Declines CAF Funding But AT&T Accepts (telecompetitor, Aug. 20, 2013)
http://www.telecompetitor.com/verizon-again-declines-caf-funding-but-att-accepts/