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Print Edition StoriesFriday, November 6, 2009
Mass. claims $2M for statewide broadband service
By Mass High Tech staff
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The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has awarded about $2 million in stimulus funding to Massachusetts for the purpose of developing initial steps for setting up broadband Internet service throughout the commonwealth, including Cape Cod and western Massachusetts. The funding will apply specifically to mapping broadband access.
In August, Gov. Deval Patrick applied for $100 million in stimulus funding, separated into two categories — mapping and infrastructure. The Broadband Data Mapping Project will outline broadband availability and capability, collected on a semi-annual basis, using $1.5 million of the awarded funding. The remaining $500,000 will be awarded to WesternMA Connect Inc. to apply to two-year broadband planning activities.
Massachusetts was one of seven states to receive the broadband funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Massachusetts Broadband Institute, a part of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, is responsible for managing the broadband developments.
The project, which could add up to 3,400 jobs, aims to bring fiber infrastructure to the western part of Massachusetts, including both the communities and the academic and medical institutions.
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