Thanks to Becky LaPlant for sending me a heads up on a new broadband resource for rural areas created by the FCC and the USDA.

It appears to largely be a portal of information from the FCC web site. I think the most valuable section will be the funding section, where they track funding from the FCC and USDA.

FCC/USDA Workshops
The portal also promotes 4 workshops that they are having throughout the year. Here’s a description from the site:

The topics to be covered at the workshops include: the different technology platforms used to provide broadband services, USDA funding for broadband deployment, the FCC’s Rural Health Care Pilot program, and wireless spectrum access. The workshops will also provide communities and organizations with an opportunity to share their experiences about broadband deployment in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

Intro to Broadband Technologies
They also provide information on a variety of broadband technologies – but I have to say that the information is a little uneven. The wireless section is extensive, which makes sense from the FCC perspective but maybe overkill for most of the communities. Fiber, on the other hand, is pretty light.

Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down
I can’t say that this is the first resource I would send to someone who just started a broadband project for their community. (I would suggest the recent ISRL report.) But it is a good way to access the FCC and policy info a community leader might need. Also I might keep an eye on their funding section if I thought I might qualify for upcoming funding.