House Democrats on Thursday said they plan to allot $6 billion in broadband deployment in the economic stimulus plan they’ve been working to craft.
UBS analysts said this morning in a client memo they think President-elect Barack Obama will set aside up to $40 billion in grants and loans for reaching unserved and underserved areas with high-speed Internet.
One point of clarification: There’s been a lot of talk about a national broadband policy. Obama’s transition team has spent this week emphasizing that ubiquitous broadband and the much-needed, short-term economic stimulus plan do not necessarily go hand in hand. Yes, broadband will be part of a stimulus plan, but the larger goal and deployment will come as a more comprehensive strategy.
Click over to xchange articles on Tuesday, Jan. 20, for an in-depth analysis of that national broadband policy and the immediate effects that could be realized through a stimulus plan.
