BIP / BTOP Application Mapping Data Was Available

Posted on in Information Systems

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) LogoAlthough it is no longer working at the time of this writing, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) had made a searchable database of applicant project proposals for the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) available on the USDA site. Unlike the database that is currently available on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) site, this database (or this one) allowed interested parties to search proposals based on affected areas rather than the home state of the applicant. Since the tool no longer works, and no public announcement has been made via the Broadband USA website, I'm assuming the data was posted in error or is just broken. Considering the problems endured during the initial application period, it seems technical difficulties could be the culprit.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 appropriated \$7.2 billion to “expand broadband access to unserved and underserved communities across the U.S., increase jobs, spur investments in technology and infrastructure, and provide long-term economic benefits.” The funds are being administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

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