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April 12, 2010

FairPoint again seeking broadband funds

By The Mainebiz News Staff

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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