On January 30, the FCC announced it will begin a process that makes Connect America funds available for pilot projects aimed at expanding broadband in rural areas. Details about the process are still forthcoming, but the FCC asks interested parties to submit “expressions of interest” by March 7th. In order to assist possible applicants, the National Rural Assembly’s Broadband Working Group will hold a webinar today, February 13th, at 1:30 EST.
From the webinar announcement:
The National Rural Assembly’s Rural Broadband and Policy Group invites all rural stakeholders, to participate in a national webinar in cooperation with the Federal Communications Commission that will explain how to participate in the FCC’s new experiment, the Rural Broadband Trials – a program that will fund projects to bring broadband to rural areas.
Participation in this first phase is not mandatory but encouraged. The results from the expressions of interest process will help the FCC determine how much funding will be needed.
You can register online for the free webinar.