Official: Rural Broadband Program Is Flawed

OFFICIAL: RURAL INTERNET PROGRAM IS FLAWED
[SOURCE: Technology Daily 10/23, AUTHOR: David Hatch]
The administrator of a federal loan program that supports the rollout of high-speed Internet access to rural areas told Congress that the effort is flawed and needs to be overhauled. "As with any young program, there have been bumps in the road," Curtis Anderson, deputy administrator for the Agriculture Department's Rural Utilities Service, told the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee. One of those bumps has been a dearth of loans to promote the build-out of broadband infrastructure to unserved areas. Anderson conceded that few companies seek assistance for that purpose because it is difficult to craft viable business models for repayment. He also said the RUS does not always dispense all of its annual funding.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/2007/10/rural_internet_program_is_flaw.ht...