Fiber Is Coming To Fort Sumner! - Plateau

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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) The first phase of the fiber upgrade in Fort Sumner uses funding awarded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), specifically through the Broadband Technical Opportunities Program (BTOP). Plateau was fortunate to secure two awards through this program. Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) ARRA provided the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) with $7.2 billion to expand access to broadband services in the United States. Of those funds, the Act provided $4.7 billion to NTIA to support the deployment of broadband infrastructure, enhance and expand public computer centers, encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service, and develop and maintain a nationwide public map of broadband service capability and availability. NTIA administers the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) within three project categories: • Comprehensive Community Infrastructure: Projects to deploy new or improved broadband Internet facilities (e.g., laying new fiber optic This phase connects a limited number of anchor institutions to the newly created fiber network. Anchor institutions consist of education and government locations. Forty-five locations have been identified to be included in this portion of the project. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was enacted to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery, assist those most impacted by the recession, provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health, invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits and stabilize State and local government budgets in an effort to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services. cables or upgrading wireless towers) and to connect “community anchor institutions” such as schools, libraries, hospitals and public safety facilities. These networks help ensure sustainable community growth and provide the foundation for enhanced household and business broadband Internet services. • Public Computer Centers: Projects to establish new public computer facilities or upgrade existing ones that provide broadband access to the general public or to specific vulnerable populations, such as lowincome individuals, the unemployed, seniors, children, minorities and people with disabilities. •Sustainable Broadband Adoption: Projects that focus on increasing broadband Internet usage and adoption, including vulnerable populations where broadband technology traditionally has been underutilized. Many projects include digital literacy training and outreach campaigns to increase the relevance of broadband in people’s everyday lives.
Stimulus Awards Plateau was successful in obtaining two grants through the BTOP program. The two awards are highlighted here: Round I Award - Plateau Middle Mile: The Plateau Middle Mile project intends to enhance broadband capabilities for critical community anchor institutions in eastern New Mexico and West Texas by lighting a more than 1,600-mile ring of fiber and constructing 74 miles of new fiber in five communities. The project plans to connect more than 200 anchor institutions – including educational institutions, public safety organizations, healthcare facilities and government agencies – at speeds of up to 1 GBPS. In addition, the network intends to offer wholesale services and facilitate broadband expansion to an estimated 20 communities and an area with nearly 700,000 homes, over 36,000 businesses and 263 anchor institutions. Total Award: $11,252,066 Round II Award - Extending the Middle Mile: Plateau Middle Mile CCI Project (This project includes the Village of Fort Sumner) To provide much-needed broadband capacity to critical community facilities in underserved West Texas and eastern New Mexico communities, Plateau plans to construct 189 miles of new fiber and utilize 418 miles of additional existing fiber to create a middle mile broadband network spanning central and eastern New Mexico and parts of western Texas. Expanding its $11.2 million BTOP Round One infrastructure award, Plateau plans to deploy its network into additional underserved areas with 1 GBPS middle mile speeds. The project proposes to facilitate distance learning and education for tens of thousands of residents by significantly improving broadband connections at schools and higher education institutions. Plateau plans to partner with both New Mexico and Texas colleges and universities, regional utility companies and other service providers as needed to further maximize use of fiber and broadband capacity. Total Award: $16,460,815
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Page 3: What’s in store for Fort Sumner?
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Fiber Is Coming To Fort Sumner! - Plateau

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