FairPoint again seeking broadband funds
FairPoint Communications Inc. is again seeking millions in federal stimulus funding to expand broadband Internet access to rural Maine.
FairPoint has applied for more than $20 million in funds from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, according to the Bangor Daily News. The company's bid for nearly $18 million in grant funding was rejected during the first round of grants awarded in December. If FairPoint receives this round of funding, it would be required to provide a match of more than $10 million. Part of the funds would support "middle mile" infrastructure, the basic backbone of a fiber-optic network, while the rest would finance "last mile" projects, which branch off middle-mile infrastructure and directly serve homes and businesses in Washington and Hancock counties, according to the paper. FairPoint's application is one of more than 800 requests across the country.
A competing project known as the Three Ring Binder was awarded $25.4 million in stimulus funds last fall, a project FairPoint officials have criticized, saying it will duplicate the company's network. FairPoint has built more than 400 miles of fiber and invested more than $100 million in broadband since it bought the Verizon network in 2008, spokesman Jeffrey Nevins told the paper.
Go to the article from the Bangor Daily News >>
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