Freedom to Connect update: how to qualify for a broadband stimulus grant
We’ve added another session to the agenda of the Freedom to Connect conference in Washington DC (March 30-31, 2009): “How to Get and Spend $7,200,000,000.00: What the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act or 2009 Means for Netheads.” This session will cover how to qualify for the Act’s $2.5 billion from Agriculture and $4.7 billion from Commerce. Disbursement begins in May. Most monies must be disbursed within 18 months. Local governments qualify, as do non-profits, coops, and other entities. Large telcos “generally not eligible.” Exciting stuff! Beltway insider Harold Feld writes that the Act, “. . . value[s] broadband for its transformative effect rather than for its consumer value and place[s] it within the communities we hope to positively transform.” (And there’s more: the Baller Herbst Law Group identifies another $110 billion indirect broadband-related funding, e.g., in transportation, education, smart grid and health technology.) Panelists are among the most knowledgeable insiders in the Washington DC telecom/Internet community. The entire revised agenda is at http://freedom-to-connect.net/agenda.
Additions to the list of speakers
F2C has not yet confirmed (but expects to any day) the participation of Herman Wagter and Dirk van der Woude of Amsterdam’s Citynet Fiber to the Home initiative. Dirk says he’s pretty sure they’re coming. If they come, they’ll bring the dynamic Dutch attitude that, once exported, made New York City great, and stands to do the same for U.S. Internet infrastructure.
F2C has confirmed that Dan Gillmor, the renowned new journalism activist, former tech columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, will be coming to F2C. Dan will interview Kevin Werbach, Obama FCC Transition co-leader, about the transition and the next FCC. The list of speakers is at http://freedom-to-connect.net/speakers.
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