Aspen Wireless News & Updates
December 17th, 2009 | Written by admin
From a letter released by the White House this morning:
Project Spotlight: The Administration will award a last-mile grant to Rivada Sea Lion, an Alaska Native Corporation, to provide 4G wireless high-speed broadband Internet service to approximately 30,000 residents in 53 unserved, subsistence level communities in 13southwestern Native Alaska. Rivada will design, engineer, and construct a multi-mode 4G last-mile remote network that spans 90,000 square miles and connects homes and businesses as well as anchor institutions such as health clinics, schools, and tribal government facilities. By using wireless and satellite technology rather than copper or fiber, the project will provide the first broadband services to these Native Alaskan communities at relatively low cost.
Along with 17 other projects:
http://broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/NEC-Broadband-Report.pdf
December 8th, 2009 | Written by admin
Aspen Wireless is excited to announce another one of our client’s applications has been escalated to Step Two of the approvals phase for the Broadband Stimulus. this comes as another early select of a handful of project selections.
North Florida Broadband Authority (NFBA) Memorandum to Board
For Aspen Wireless this is one Last Mile and one Middle Mile escalation; one USDA BIP and one NTIA BTOP, one in snowy Alaska and one in tropical Florida.
We strongly encourage folks who are looking to apply in Round Two, or sadly miss Round One to look at our professional services to help their success potential. Give us a call or email for a free initial consultation.
November 19th, 2009 | Written by admin
In a report to Congress, the NTIA said Wednesday that it won’t conclude doling out the first round of broadband stimulus funding until February 2010.
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration clarified in its third quarterly progress report to Congress this week that it will be dolling out the entirety of the grant money during the next ten months.
The year 2010 is going to be a busy time for the period for both the NTIA and the Agriculture Department’s Rural Utilities is the other agency, the two government entities charged with distributing $7.2 billion of federal funding.
“NTIA will not conclude the first round of BTOP funding at the end of 2009 as originally targeted, but is on course to do so in February 2010,” states the report (PDF).
NTIA and RUS announced this month that they will limit the remaining grant awards to one more round of funding, which they write in the report “will begin early in 2010.”
Courtesy of BroadbandCensus.com
October 12th, 2009 | Written by admin
One of our clients was just notified today that their application has passed Round One of the RUS BIP / NTIA BTOP broadband stimulus application process.
Round Two is coming up quickly with the RFI in a couple of weeks and a NOFA this winter (with a 60-day application time) inside sources say.
Do you need help with Step Two? How about Round Two?
Aspen Wireless can help, contact us.
August 13th, 2009 | Written by admin
UPDATE: Thursday, August 13, 2009
The application closing deadline for the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) is extended until 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on August 20, 2009, for any electronic applications pending as of 5 p.m. ET on August 14, 2009.
There are no changes to the filing instructions for paper applications. For more information see Federal Register Notice: Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) Extension of Application Closing Deadline for Pending Electronic Applications.
The Notice is being provided for informational purposes only. If there is any difference between this document and the Notice officially published in the Federal Register, the Federal Register Notice is controlling.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2009/FR_BroadbandExtension_090813.pdf
FROM THE OFFICIAL RELEASE:
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
RIN 0572-ZA01
Broadband Initiatives Program
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
RIN 0660-ZA28
Broadband Technology Opportunities Program
AGENCIES: Rural Utilities Service (RUS), Department of Agriculture, and National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Funds Availability; extension of application closing deadline for pending
electronic applications.
SUMMARY: RUS and NTIA announce that the application closing deadline for the Broadband
Initiatives Program (BIP) and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) is
extended until 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on August 20, 2009, for any electronic applications
pending as of 5 p.m. ET on August 14, 2009. There are no changes to the filing instructions for
paper applications.
DATES: An applicant that is submitting an application for the BIP and BTOP electronically
will be permitted to complete electronic submission of its application until 5 p.m. ET on August
20, 2009, so long as its application was pending in the Easygrants® System as of 5 p.m. ET on
August 14, 2009 (application closing deadline).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general inquiries regarding BIP, contact
David J. Villano, Assistant Administrator Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service,
e-mail: bip@wdc.usda.gov telephone: (202) 690–0525. For general inquiries regarding BTOP,
contact Anthony Wilhelm, Deputy Associate Administrator, Infrastructure Division, Office of
Telecommunications and Information Applications, National Telecommunications and
Information Administration, email: btop@ntia.doc.gov, telephone: (202) 482–2048.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
On July 9, 2009, RUS and NTIA published a Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) and
Solicitation of Applications in the Federal Register announcing general policy and application
procedures for the BIP and BTOP. 74 Fed. Reg. 33104 (2009). In the NOFA, RUS and NTIA
encouraged all applicants to submit their applications electronically and required that certain
applications be filed electronically through an online application system at
http://www.broadbandusa.gov. 74 Fed. Reg. at 33118. RUS and NTIA established an
application window for these grant programs from July 14, 2009, at 8 a.m. ET through August
14, 2009, at 5 p.m. ET (application closing deadline).
Over the last several days, the online application system (Easygrants® System) has experienced
service delays due to the volume of activity from potential applicants. The agencies have added
additional servers to address these capacity issues. Nevertheless, in an effort to give applicants
that have already started the electronic application submission process prior to the application
closing deadline an opportunity to complete the submission of those applications, RUS and
NTIA announce that an applicant with an application pending in the Easygrants® System as of 5
p.m. ET on August 14, 2009, will be given until 5 p.m. ET on August 20, 2009, to complete the
electronic submission of its application. Please note that an applicant must have completed the
following steps, at a minimum, to be recognized as having a pending application in the
Easygrants® System:
1. Log into the Easygrants® System at www.broadbandusa.gov;
2. Select “Start a new application” under “Apply for a new grant/loan;”
3. Select one of the two choices for available funding opportunities;
4. Select “Continue;” and
5. Select “ok” when prompted “Are you sure you want to apply for the program.”
All other requirements for electronic submissions set forth in the NOFA remain unchanged.
There are no changes to the filing instructions, requirements, or application deadline for paper
submissions.
Dated: August 13, 2009
_/s/____
Jonathan Adelstein
Administrator
Rural Utilities Service
_/s/____
Anna M. Gomez
Acting Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
July 22nd, 2009 | Written by admin
It’s our fault, we found errors in the methodology USDA RUS had on the map and notified the USDA about them so they pulled it. It’s okay – it’ll be back soon hopefully, but folks need to map broadband, census and households so it only helps a bit.
From broadbandusa.gov:
The “BIP Map of Non-Rural Areas” has been removed until further notice, as some of the non-rural areas were incorrectly represented. Please refer to the definition in the NOFA for which areas should be considered “rural areas”. We apologize for the inconvenience while we make critical enhancements to the map.
We have excellent mapping capabilities and existing (public) databases that allow us to create quick multi-sourced broadband infrastructure maps including cable, dsl wireless and cellular providers as well as data from the FCC and other sources.
This can be additionally layered with households and businesses and census/demographic data. All of this data is done down to the block level, like we have been doing for years for our clients.
What is best is we can provide this information (as open and public information) by the time the states get to review BTOP/BIP grants… and we do it for a fraction of the cost of others.
July 22nd, 2009 | Written by admin
State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program Online Workshop
On July 24, 2009, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host an online workshop on its recently announced grant program to fund collection of state-level broadband data, as well as state-wide broadband mapping and planning. This initiative will provide consumers with better information on the broadband services available to them and inform efforts to increase broadband availability nationwide. The workshop is intended to present information and answer questions about the grant application process for potential applicants.
The State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program is a competitive, merit-based matching grant program that implements the joint purposes of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Broadband Data Improvement Act (BDIA). The Program will provide up to approximately $240 million in grants to assist states or their designees to develop state-specific data on the deployment levels and adoption rates of broadband services. These data, including publicly available state-wide broadband maps, will also be used to develop the comprehensive, interactive national broadband map that NTIA is required by the Recovery Act to create and make publicly available by February 17, 2011.
The workshop will be recorded and made available online at www.broadbandusa.gov. Grant applications for this program will be accepted through the online grants.gov system until August 14, 2009.
Pre-registration for the workshop is required and NTIA recommends registering no later than two hours in advance. Potential applicants are invited to email questions about the grant program to broadbandmapping@ntia.doc.gov in advance of the workshop.
Register for the Broadband Mapping Online Workshop, which will be held on July 24 at 1pm.
July 15th, 2009 | Written by admin
Four State Broadband Co-Op Engages Aspen Wireless Networks for Grant Preparation, Broadband Mapping and Consulting Services for Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Western Montana.
Pacific Northwest Internet Service Everywhere broadband cooperative PNWISE.org to leverage Aspen Wireless’ services portfolio and experience to provide affordable and speedy broadband to all rural areas and anchor community institutions by 2012.
Hood River, Oregon. (PRWEB) July 15, 2009—Aspen Wireless Networks, Inc., who is celebrating their 10th year as renowned broadband consultants and entrepreneurs announced today it was selected by a broadband cooperative in the Pacific Northwest known as PNWISE, who is actively working to create ubiquitous rural broadband service in four states; Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Western Montana. PNWISE is bringing together leadership in small communities, local service providers and state-level government to create the vital partnerships required to achieve rural broadband service.
Aspen Wireless Networks will be providing services to PNWISE from its extensive portfolio including broadband mapping (to the census block), financial modeling, public-private partnerships, business planning, technology engineering and systems integration to ensure PNWISE will meet its goal. Aspen Wireless will also engage in collaborative grant preparation with PNWISE for a grant submission to the NTIA and RUS under the recently announced $4 Billion first round of the total $7.2 Billion allocated for broadband under the ARRA stimulus act.
“We have been stirring this pot for years now, but Aspen Wireless is the key component to turning this dream in to a reality,” said Link Shadley, Managing Member of PNWISE. “Cooperatives brought electricity, telephone and other vital utilities to rural areas and we are committed to delivering affordable broadband as the next utility to our part of rural America.”
“We love rural broadband and always have – it was the founding reason for our company a decade ago and remains the highest priority to us today,” stated Scott Stevens, Co-Founder of Aspen Wireless. “PNWISE embodies rural broadband and has done an amazing job of fostering support and creating a real plan for delivering advanced broadband services to rural America. These guys have it nailed.”
This is not the first large-scale project Aspen Wireless has worked on. In 2002 Aspen Wireless worked on National Broadband, which leveraged relationships with WilTel, Intel and Wal-Mart to deliver middle-mile and last-mile connectivity at 422 points across 38 states. Aspen Wireless has also provided the same rural broadband solutions to companies like CenturyTel. Last year, Aspen’s principal consultant and co-founder Scott Stevens was a member of The Obama Campaign’s Technology/Media/Telecom Policy Committee.
“Although we have grown substantially, we continue to work with small providers to bring them the same success potential all our clients enjoy. PNWISE realizes the importance of these small providers through their innovative ISPartner programs,” stated Mr. Stevens. “We were inspired to take PNWISE on as a client.”
Pacific Northwest Internet Service Everywhere broadband cooperative will be leveraging wireless technology as the most cost effective and advantageous way to deliver multi-megabit service to rural America. Wireless technology allows PNWISE infrastructure to be leveraged for public safety mobility for first responders and emergency personnel as well as provide backhaul for SmartGrid, which is particularly important to utility leaders in the Northwest region. Additional infrastructure will be deployed specifically to provide hundreds of megabits and even gigabits to key community institutions in rural communities such as education, healthcare and municipal government and will feature grid independence and network redundancy.
“Wireless easily meets the current and future demand of rural America. We intend to exceed the 20Mbps service preferred by the NTIA and USDA RUS for a fraction of the cost of fiber, putting Northwest rural America ahead of general metropolitan populations,” stated Mr. Shadley. “Best of all, it will be affordable.”
About Pacific Northwest Internet Service Everywhere
PNWISE is a broadband cooperative focused on providing ‘’affordable broadband for everyone’’ without prejudice to all rural areas across the Pacific Northwest including Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Western Montana. PNWISE is continuing to seek partners in communities across the region to join and become involved in delivering the broadband utility. As a middle-mile backhaul provider, PNWISE will connect local government, economic development districts, educational school districts, higher education, healthcare and public safety facilities. PNWISE will also discuss additional needs of public safety for multi-megabit mobility and inter-agency interoperability.
For partnership or information inquiries for PNWISE please email info(at)pnwise(dot)org. For press inquiries please contact press(at)pnwise(dot)org.
About Aspen Wireless Networks
Aspen Wireless Networks is celebrating a decade of broadband consulting and market leadership. Aspen Wireless provides consulting services that leverage years of applied knowledge and leadership insight to create well-refined and realistic broadband businesses and successful deployments. The company specializes in all broadband technologies including fiber, wireless, cable and copper including hybrid networks. Aspen Wireless has served hundred of clients and worked on significant projects, providing services including; business planning, financial modeling, partnerships, network engineering, application engineering and network deployment.
For sales inquiries or for general information please visit Aspen Wireless Networks website at http://aspenwireless.net/.
###
July 7th, 2009 | Written by admin
REGISTER FOR A SESSION:
Wed Jul 8, 2009 9:00 AM PDT
Thu Jul 9, 2009 9:00 AM PDT
Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:00 AM PDT
After a decade of broadband consulting we guessed 95% right, but did the NOFA surprise you?
- DEADLINE: August 14th
- MAPPING: Census Block Level
- DEFINITIONS: Rural, Remote, Underserved and Unserved
- ENGINEERING: Signoff over $1 Million
- E-FILING: Registration Req’s
We will show you how to successfully address these and other vital issues so you meet the deadline in an expediant and accurate way so as not to get thrown out. Discussion + Q&A!
ALL-IMPORTANT MAPPING
We’ve been doing demographic and broadband analysis at the block level for years and we will show you some of the mapping methodologies that will help ratify your business case, engineering and prepare your grant for success.
- Households, Population, Income, etc
- Define “Rural” and % of Rural
- Distance from Urban Markets
- Identify Existing Broadband: Cable, DSL, Wireless, Cellular
- Cross-referencing with existing databases
- Determine Unserved and Underserved
- Determine BTOP or BIP Eligibility
- Output in Map and Spreadsheet form
REAL STRATEGY
We possess the strategy and our record speaks for itself. Every RFP response we’ve written has won and every grant/loan submitted has been awarded! We can’t guarantee success; our expertise and breadth can make a positive contribution to your broadband plan. Did you know that you can include grant preparation and planning as a reimbursable part of your application if awarded?
REAL HELP
Do you need more resources to hit the deadline? Can we help fill in the gaps? Provide a sanity check?
- Business Planning
- Financial Modeling
- System Engineering: Wireless, Cable, Fiber; Middle and Last Mile
- Mapping Census + Broadband (Cable, DSL, Wireless, Cellular)
- Grant/Loan Strategy + Narratives, Preparation and Assembly
- Project Management RFP Management / Proposal Vetting
REAL LEADERS
Fmr Obama Campaign Tech Policy Committee w/ Larry Strickling.
Highly successful on RFP and USDA RUS loan & grant applications.
We get Senators, Congress, Governors and Counties to back our clients.
Created “National Broadband” in 2002 for broadband to 38 rural states.
The first Wall Street Journal (cover-page) article on rural Wi-Fi in 2001.
We provide comprehensive services ranging from business to technology.
We engineer financials and technology, integrating experience for results.
Customers range from CenturyTel to Walmart to hundreds of WISPs.
REGISTER FOR A SESSION NOW:
Wed Jul 8, 2009 9:00 AM PDT
Thu Jul 9, 2009 9:00 AM PDT
Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:00 AM PDT
July 1st, 2009 | Written by admin
Broadband USA site now has active link to NOFA:
Link to NOFA (pdf download)
HIGHLIGHTS of the NOTICE OF FUNDS AVAILABILITY
Related downloads:
A summary by Knight Foundation, Knight Center for Digital Excellence on the NOFA.
A summary, strategy and recommendations for changes by New America Foundation on the NOFA.
KEY POINTS
USDA and NTIA have developed a two-step application process:
- In step one, the goal is to create a pool of viable and potentially fundable applications.
- Step two is to fully validate the submissions in step one and identify the most highly qualified applications for funding.
BTOP funds are available through 3 categories:
- Broadband Infrastructure
- Public Computer Centers
- Sustainable Broadband Adoption.
Broadband Infrastructure category consists of Last Mile and Middle Mile in unserved and underserved areas.
Broadband definition: two-way data transmission with advertised speeds of at least 768 kbps downstream and at least 200 kbps upstream.
Public Computer Center will expand public access and capacity at entities that permit the public to use these computing centers.
The Sustainable Broadband Adoption category will fund innovative projects that promote broadband demand.
- $1.2billion for Last Mile Projects.
- $400M for grants Remote Area projects.*
- $800M for loans or loan/grant combos for Non-Remote projects.*
- $800M for loans or loan/grant combos for Middle Mile projects.
* Remote area means an unserved, rural area 50 miles from the limits of a non-rural area.
All awards under NTIA BTOP and USDA BIP must be made no later than September 30, 2010
For-profit corps that are willing to promote the goals of the Recovery Act and comply with the statutory requirements are eligible.
Eligibility factors:
- 1) application;
- 2) completion w/2 yrs;
- 3) technical feasibility.
Nondiscrimination and Interconnection Obligations:
- i. adhere to the principles contained in the FCC’s Internet Policy Statement
- ii. not favor any lawful Internet applications and content over others
- iii. display any network management policies and provide notice to customers of changes to these policies
- iv. connect to the public Internet directly or indirectly, such that the project is not an entirely private closed network
- v. offer interconnection on reasonable rates and terms to be negotiated with requesting parties
Conditions will apply for the life of the awardee’s facilities used in the project.
The scoring criteria for BIP and BTOP:
- 1 Project Purpose;
- 2 Project Benefits;
- 3 Project Viability;
- 4 Project Budget and Sustainability.
As follows;
- Project Purpose 25 pts: Proportion of Rural Residents Served in Unserved Areas 5 pts Rural Area Targeting 5 pts Remote Area Targeting 5 pts.
- Title II Borrowers (5 points). Recovery Act and other governmental collaboration (5 points).
- Broadband speed: Last Mile Projects of 20+ megabit per second service will be favored; 100+ megabits per second service for Middle Mile.
- Pts for demonstrating affordability and providing choice of provider.
- Pts for 25% discounts to “all critical community facilities in the proposed funded service area”.
- Critical community facilities: public facilities that provide community services essential for supporting the safety, health, well-being.
* Critical community facilities: emergency response and other public safety activities, hospitals and clinics, libraries, schools and more.
- Project Viability (25 points).
- Applicant’s organizational capability (12 points); Community support (2 points); Ability to promptly start project (10 points).
- Disadvantaged small businesses (1 point).
- Project Budget and Sustainability (25 points).
USDA and NTIA intend to announce the awards starting on or about November 7, 2009.
Unserved area:
- census block where at least 90% of HHs lack access to facilities-based, terrestrial broadband service @ 768 kbps.
Underserved area:
- 1. no more than 50% of the HHs in the area have access to facilities-based, terrestrial broadband service @ 768 kbps.
- 2. no fixed or mobile broadband service provider advertises broadband transmission speeds of at least 3mbps.
June 29th, 2009 | Written by admin
Please join our Broadband Stimulus webinar at 1PM MDT:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/join/587225907
WEBINAR: VITAL information, REAL winning strategies and how to QUICKLY prepare your business!
- Company Introductions
- Quick Stimulus Overview
- Key Eligibility Criteria
- Positioning and Strategy
- Engineering your Business
- Preparing your Application
- Bonus – Territory Saver!
We recommend your computer mic/speakers or call with the info below:
Dial: 712-338-7121
Access Code: 587-225-907
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the webinar
