FCC Has $185 Million in Unclaimed Broadband Funding > They already get government funding..

reply to Rob

Re: They already get government funding..

So the gov't should police that program. it doesn't mean any excess use nets AT&T profit, nor does it pay for connecting new homes.
Remember that AT&T was the service provider, the abusers were others who misused the system, by law AT&T was not allowed to make judgement as to whether it was appropriete usage or not.
And that the operators/whistleblowers who reported the abuse did so in violation of the law (it was a good thing/bad law)

You should really blame whoever drafted the ADA regulations for not including proper safe guards.

I certainly do blame the poorly written bills, which have good intention, but didn't foresee the abuse and lack of responsibility on the teclo's part.

And since neither pay for connecting new homes, AT&T is more than happy to keep the cash cow rolling while rejecting the broadband funding that.. would.. shocker.. make them actually show results!
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Suppose they don't believe it is possible to provide the upgrades and connect the homes under the stated conditions for the amount offered.
aren't they being responsible for refusing to take the funding?

They've probably suggested many plans.
But generally YOU (gov't/people) figure out what you want done, and then you go to the contractor (s) and ask "How Much?
If you just start with (a likely) prime contractor and say "what do we need?/just do it/ send the bill later." you end up with endless pentagon style programs and overruns and delays and get the most expensive, bullet-proof, bomb resistant, triple locked, lasar guided swiss army knife ever built.

given you will NEVER see that kind of budget, or timetable or national priority assigned to this what you really need to do is encourage those prime contractor to do much of this on their own (requires consitant longterm investment, tax, and RoW regulations that acknowledge the long(10-20-30-40 year) investment window needed, so they can assure their lenders/stockholders of a return.) and only suplement/direct for the few places that will NEVER become profitable.
To keep costs down to match our limited We The PEOPLE need to trim as many extras from our list as possible, so we might still give schools and libraries freebies, but city dept's? and everyone we think has some sort of disadvantage? or has a limited budget? and those we wish to honor? (I have seen proposals that suggest ALL vets should get free service and or wound vets, which while we are thankful, everyone who can MUST pay, or the remaining few will be overwhelmed by the cost (social security?).

In return for their longterm financing, design and construction they will need to charge a rate that pays for ALL of it. which may be more than some think it should be.

reply to Linklist
Rural Welfare from the Department of Agriculture:
Electricity, Water, Sewage, Telephone, Cell Phone, Roads, Internet, Schools, School Lunches....Billions and Billions every year

Rural Welfare from NTIA and the FCC

Rural Welfare from Interior

Rural Welfare from Congress - Ask Mich McConnel why HIS rural state gets more than $2 in federal spending for every $1 in federal taxes paid by the people of his rural state while California gets about 75 Cents. 42% of Kentucky's state budget comes from the Federal treasury - only a point or two higher than Sam Brownback's Kansas (but not touching the 66% Federal Budget contribution made to CATHOLIC CHARITIES.) Nikki Haley's state gets even more. No one beats tea bagger Palin's Alaska haul though - except for that great individualist, Haley "I want to be president and make all of American look like Mississippi: Fat, Lazy, Poor and Stupid" Barbour and the Great Welfare State of Mississippi.

On the other hand being able to call the farmers out in that rural area and buy some beef and some corn to eat, and cotton for your skivvies and wood to build your home and so on is pretty handy too.. unless you're that naked, hungry city guy.