Broadband Stimulus Deadline Remains Unchanged

Washington, March 1 – Calls from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and other public interest groups looking for a broadband stimulus deadline extension fell on deaf ears at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration which has decided to adhere to it’s March 15^th deadline.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the NTIA must award all $7 billion of the broadband funding it received as part of the stimulus package by Sept. 30, 2010. As a result, the agency said it could not risk delays in distributing funds. In the second round of funding for broadband projects, agencies are competing for $4.7 billion in stimulus money to expand broadband internet access in underserved areas.