You want broadband and you want it now

The federal government received 2,200 applications for the first round of broadband stimulus funds - easing concerns that demand would be low.

In total, $28 billion was requested, but only $4 billion of the total $7.2 billion will be doled out in this round.

In only two weeks, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Rural Utilities Service will have to decide which projects should be considered.

According to a USA today article, the applications were for a wide variety of programs:

"One applicant wants to run fiber-optic lines directly to homes in a rural community in Idaho; another is pitching a public computing center with the goal of educating people about the value of broadband in day-to-day life."

The types of organizations applying for funding were also diverse. They included:

• State, local and tribal governments
• Non-profits
• Libraries
• Hospitals
• Public safety groups

NTIA and RUS are using volunteers to help sort through multitude of applications.

Feds get $28B in request for $7.2B to extend broadband (USA Today)

Invitation to serve as a BTOP peer reviewer (Speed Matters)