Mind Commerce LLC and WMX Systems announced today the release of the first in a series of Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) Grant Application Support Packages. The BTOP was created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment (Stimulus) Act of 2009 (ARRA 2009) to expand broadband internet access in unserved, underserved or rural markets of the US supporting education, healthcare, public safety and job creation. The program provides almost $ 4 billion for service providers, state and municipal governments and non-profits to build broadband networks. This is arguably the largest infusion of funding, public or private, for telecommunications in the US since the telecom boom of the late 1990's.
The 380-page package offers exceptional value to anyone seeking to write a BTOP grant application. The BTOP grant application, per the ARRA 2009, shall consist of a) a business plan b) an engineering plan and c) a cost estimate. Washington insiders point to a need for grant applicants to provide specific details as to what broadband technology will be deployed, how it will serve the unserved or underserved community, and what measurable outcomes will be produced with the grant funding. Grant applicants can expect a good deal of scrutiny before and after the any grant and should be adequately prepared.
The Mind Commerce BTOP Grant Application Support Package is not a specific engineering plan or cost estimate. Instead, it provides the following highly valuable documents and representative WiMAX application scenarios:
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