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story category Rural Broadband Loans
Industry protests budget trimming
(old news - 09:00AM Friday Mar 26 2004)
tags: bandwidth · Politics
The USDA recently announced they'd be awarding $11.3 million in broadband community grants to 34 communities in 20 states. In January of 2002, Agriculture Secretary Ann M Veneman promised $1.4 billion in loans and loan guarantees to rural telecommunications providers in the hopes of getting less populated corners of the US up to speed. "Technology is key to the ability of rural businesses to compete in a global marketplace," argued Veneman at the time.

The Rural Broadband Coalition was also recently founded to help ISPs take advantage of the money available via the broadband program of the Rural Utility Service (RUS), a service of the US Department of Agriculture. Hidden within the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 is $20 million in federal funds allocated to finance broadband service in rural communities.

The Bush Administration and many in the USDA have long targeted these loans as budgetary fat. The Wireless Communications Association continues to argue the loans are an "outstanding opportunity to bring economic opportunity to rural regions at minimal cost." The FTTH council has also protested any reduction in the programs.

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  5. Verizon: We're Not Setting Broadband Definition Bar Low
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Forums » Rural Broadband Loans
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Mellow
Premium
join:2001-11-16
Salisbury, MD
·HostGator
·Cavalier Telephone

good ol bush

Nice that he considers helping broadband growth "fat". He can put billions into bombing people but can't fathom spending 20mil on rural folks getting technology. Am I missing something here?
--
Check out the Cavalier forum!

hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY
clubs:

Re: good ol bush

Mellow asked

"He can put billions into bombing people but can't fathom spending 20mil on rural folks getting technology. Am I missing something here?"

Yes, the big picture.

Hob
--
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

ronpin
Imagine Reality

join:2002-12-06
Nirvana

Re: good ol bush

said by hobgoblin See Profile:

Yes, the big picture.
Which is...???

Rhobite
Premium
join:2002-02-24
Cambridge, MA
clubs:

Re: good ol bush

said by ronpin See Profile:
Which is...???
Federal money for rural broadband is pure pork. It's a waste of tax dollars.
--
Jimmysquid.com - I take pictures.
Zunger

join:2003-08-24
Fayetteville, AR

Re: good ol bush

How about you go back to 26.4> dialup, then say that.

Instead of urban mass. having the option of 3+ places to get broadband from, there should be better benefits of telco's adding co's to rural areas for the option of broadband.

Rhobite
Premium
join:2002-02-24
Cambridge, MA
clubs:

Re: good ol bush

said by Zunger See Profile:
How about you go back to 26.4> dialup, then say that.
How about you move? Why should my tax money pay for your broadband?
--
Jimmysquid.com - I take pictures.
netscape 6

join:2002-03-07
Constantine, MI

Re: good ol bush

said by Rhobite See Profile:
How about you move? Why should my tax money pay for your broadband?

Let me guess, you rent?

Rhobite
Premium
join:2002-02-24
Cambridge, MA
clubs:

Re: good ol bush

said by netscape 6 See Profile:
Let me guess, you rent?

I pay taxes.
--
Jimmysquid.com - I take pictures.
netscape 6

join:2002-03-07
Constantine, MI

Re: good ol bush

said by Rhobite See Profile:
I pay taxes.

Ah dodge the question. Okay, renter, When you have something like a mortgage, renter, it's quite a bit more trouble to move. In some people's case even if they rent, like you, renter, there stuck in an area for other reasons, be it work, family, or some other obligation, renter. Also broadband ha shown to raise grades by making research on the internet easier and opening up more things (such as downloadable videos on a subject). Not having broadband, renter, puts kids at a disadvantage.

I have nothing against people who rent. Just people who try to weasel out of questions.

Rhobite
Premium
join:2002-02-24
Cambridge, MA
clubs:


1 edit

Re: good ol bush

said by netscape 6 See Profile:
Ah dodge the question. Okay, renter, When you have something like a mortgage, renter, it's quite a bit more trouble to move. In some people's case even if they rent, like you, renter, there stuck in an area for other reasons, be it work, family, or some other obligation, renter. Also broadband ha shown to raise grades by making research on the internet easier and opening up more things (such as downloadable videos on a subject). Not having broadband, renter, puts kids at a disadvantage.

I have nothing against people who rent. Just people who try to weasel out of questions.
Oh name calling, that's real mature there guy. Whatever your reasons are for being in an area, you should accept the benefits and drawbacks. I see no reason why I should pay for my broadband as well as yours. Nor am I responsible for your kids' wellbeing. You made the choice to own a home, not my fault if you're having trouble offloading it. A house is an investment.
--
Jimmysquid.com - I take pictures.
netscape 6

join:2002-03-07
Constantine, MI

Re: good ol bush

said by Rhobite See Profile:
Oh name calling, that's real mature there guy. Whatever your reasons are for being in an area, you should accept the benefits and drawbacks. I see no reason why I should pay for my broadband as well as yours. Nor am I responsible for your kids' wellbeing. You made the choice to own a home, not my fault if you're having trouble offloading it. A house is an investment.

Not name calling unless you consider "renter" an insult. I don't. I rent also. Just being obnoxious as I find people who dodge questions. That's all. If I insulted you I'm sorry.

Any way alot of things are subsidised. I don't go to park that much, yet I pay taxes on it. I have never had a fire yet I pay for part of the fire department. There are alot of roads I don't drive down that I pay taxes on. The city as an old canon. Aside from amusement by the fact it's pointed right at a person's house I don't get much use out of it. Yet I have to pay for part of it's upkeep. Including repairing the once a year fall vandalism from a nearby town. I don't have kids yet part of my taxes go to local schools. I don't think something being subsidised is a good against argument it by it's self. However I do think more broadband will lead to better educated kids. A more educated population is something we'll all benefit from.

johnboy65775

@216.106.x.x

Re: good ol bush

I dont feel you should have to pay for rural people like myself to recive broadband, just as i feel all those poeple who have died in war for your freedom should not have had to pay. (I was in the 24th infantry in DS1 so i can say that).

And then their is a nother view...

Instead of funding those programs with taxes (which i am not totally against) how bout tax the Incumbent Telcos to support them.

MCI threw away 30 Billion last year in fines against clecs alone. That is rediculous.

But after attempting to talk to someone at the USDA about these programs (im referring to the receptionists) , I can see why our government is in such a mess.

nunya
SEE ROCK CITY 475 MILES
Premium,MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
clubs:
·AT&T CallVantage

loans

I seriously looked into those loans and even *started* filling out the mountain of paperwork. Then I realized these loans are for people (corporations) who do not need the money. Not small players like myself (who actually want to deliver to rural areas). The stipulations were far beyond what any startup like me would be able to meet.
Budgetary fat indeed. No sense in giving money to corps. that already have it.
--
I like it when you call me Big Pappa. --- Fight terrorists »www.e85fuel.com/

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech

Re: loans

Yeah, the more I dug, the more I came to a similar conclusion, particularly since the TIA is so hungry to preserve the funds:

»rcrnews.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=17464

Like so many other telecom incentive programs I'll assume they're delivered ample funds to wire the nation and then go use it to pay executive salaries.....

Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus

join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY
·Qwest.net


1 edit

Why are you slamming Bush

Bush has nothing to do with this, but if this topic will fuel your hate for him go ahead.
The USDA is one of those untouchable Government departments.
The standing joke about the USDA;

A new Senator was being given a VIP tour of the USDA HQ in Washington DC. They walked past an office of a person who was face down on his desk in tears. When asked this person explained his farmer had died.

As far as I am concerned this money is just being poured down a rat hole. The only way this issue will be addressed is a Tennessee Valley Authority type of program.
--
"Remember when hacking a loogy
it comes not so much from the lungs but from the soul."
blah194

join:2002-03-04
Lake Charles, LA

Re: Why are you slamming Bush

Because some people will use ANYTHING as an excuse to slam Bush.

WillHaeck

join:2002-01-20
Monroe, WA

Rural Broadband is an essential need

The honest truth of it is that broadband is becoming more and more of a need in the world. If it isn't delivered to our whole country then we will continue to fall behind. While these grants may not have been the thing that needs to do it, something has to, once again it seems that fiber will be the one to be able to do it. The only problem is that nobody wants to spend their own money to wire the unprofitable rural areas and people who don't live in those areas are always quite angry when their tax dollars are spent on something they don't need.

I say we should stop horribly over paying hali burton for all the stuff they are doing (»www.joeuser.com/forums.asp?MID=3···AID=3724), get actual bids from companies and stop paying the buddies of our leaders huge surpluses. I'll bet that would more than pay for rural broadband deployment.
Forums » Rural Broadband Loans


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