Regional cable operators put hats into broadband funding ring

Cable MSO Comcast and its main RBOC rivals may have opted out of the running to submit an application for broadband stimulus funding because of their disagreements over net neutrality and the government's definition of ‘underserved' and ‘unserved' markets, but regional cable operators are eager to make a case to get the government funding. A Cable Digital News article reports that 54 small to mid-sized cable operators have submitted applications for the first round of the broadband stimulus funding as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

According to a database that the National Telecommunications and Information Association (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is housing at BroadbandUSA.gov, these small to medium-sized cable operators are searching for a total of $442 million in funding for their respective network projects. Mid-sized cable MSO WaveDivision, for example, submitted 12 applications to potentially fund $10.3 million in last-mile projects.  

For more:
- Cable Digital News has this analysis