Stimulus winner NebraskaLink enthusiastic about middle mile approach

When seven small independent Nebraska telcos formed a consortium called NebraskaLink, their initial goal was to create a backbone network to serve all of the members. But as they worked together, their plans became more ambitious--particularly after they realized they might be able to obtain broadband stimulus funding.

In August, the group was awarded an $11.5 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to help build three fiber rings in Nebraska. The members are contributing an additional $4.5 million toward the project. NebraskaLink CEO Paul Ludwick believes NebraskaLink won the stimulus funding because of "a basic need in Nebraska." Most places, you talk about the number of people per square mile. But in some parts of Nebraska, he said, "it's the number of miles per person."