The U.S. Congress has appropriated $4.7 billion to establish a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program for awards to eligible entities to develop and expand broadband services to unserved and underserved areas and improve access to broadband by public safety agencies. Of these funds, $250 million will be available for innovative programs that encourage sustainable adoption of broadband services; at least $200 million will be available to upgrade technology and capacity at public computing centers, including community colleges and public libraries; $10 million will be a transfer to the Office of Inspector General for the purposes of BTOP audits and oversight. Up to $350 million of the BTOP funding is designated for the development and maintenance of statewide broadband inventory maps.

Congressional Testimony: Hearing on the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act: Testimony of Mark G. Seifert, Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary, NTIA, before the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on Oversight of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009: Broadband. (Print version Acrobat PDF 34 Kb)
April 2, 2009

Clarification: On February 24, 2009, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) published a Notice in the Federal Register announcing its intention to begin holding meetings on March 2, 2009, in connection with the broadband grant programs described in the Broadband Data Services Improvement Act, Public Law No. 110-385, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), Public Law No. 111-5 (collectively, ``Broadband Grant Programs''). This Notice provides clarification regarding those meetings.
(Print version PDF 5 Kb)

Media Advisory: NTIA and USDA's Rural Utilities Service to Hold Public Meetings to Help Shape American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Broadband Initiatives: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Services (RUS) and the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will hold a series of public meetings on the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and the additional authority for the RUS to make grants and loans for the deployment and construction of broadband systems. Agenda is included. (Acrobat PDF 125 KB)
Dated March 13, 2009

Press Release: Vilsack, Copps and Wade Kick Off American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Broadband Initiative: U.S. Department of Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack, Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Copps and U.S. Dept. of Commerce Senior Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff Rick Wade kicked off the joint broadband initiative under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today and announced a series of public meetings. (Acrobat PDF 198Kb)
Updated March 10, 2009

Federal Register Notice: Joint Broadband Technology Opportunities Program Request for Information: Pursuant to Section 6001 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Commerce's NTIA and Agriculture's RUS will hold a series of public meetings about the new broadband programs beginning on March 16, 2009. Through this notice, guidance is provided as to the matters to be discussed at these public meetings and the categories of information with respect to which interested parties may submit comments.
(Print version PDF 48 Kb)
Comment form
Updated March 12, 2009

Federal Register Notice: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Broadband Initiatives: NTIA, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development, and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will host a public meeting on March 10, 2009, in connection with the Broadband Initiatives funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law No. 111-5.
• Public Meeting Agenda (Acrobat PDF 67 Kb)
Dated February 27, 2009, Updated March 5, 2009

Federal Register Notice: Public Notice of Broadband Grant Programs Meetings: NTIA will begin holding meetings with interested parties on Monday, March 2, 2009, in connection with the broadband grant programs described in the Broadband Data Services Improvement Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. All interested parties are invited to schedule a meeting.
Dated February 24, 2009

For news media inquiries, please contact Mark Tolbert at press@ntia.doc.gov.