NTIA TELLS CONGRESS BROADBAND STIMULUS PROGRAM IS ON TRACK

摘要

The NTIA said it's on target to issue a second notice of broadband-stimulus funds availability this year and a third in the spring. The agency made the statement in a quarterly report to Congress on where its Broadband Technology Opportunities Program stands. Applications for the first round are due Thursday. The NTIA said it will begin announcing its first round of program awards in November and it expects to finish this year. The report doesn't elaborate on system problems that compelled the agency to delay the first-round application deadline. In the days leading up to the deadline "the online application system (Easygrants System) experienced service delays due to the volume of activity from potential applicants," the NTIA said. "The agencies have added additional servers to address these capacity issues." The NTIA said it has hired 80 percent of the federal staff needed to run the program.