As I guessed a week ago, it was only a matter of time before the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) made its list of Round 2 BIP applications available online rather than in the previously released PDF format. The new online database coincides with the posting of Public Notice Filings. You can browse the Round 2 BIP application database online at the BroadbandUSA website.

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).