Since the Obama Administration launched the Broadband Stimulus funding program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) last year, large cable MSOs and telcos have mainly sat on the sidelines, but now many of these same companies are changing their tune.
In a somewhat unprecedented move, AT&T has joined their main rivals--cable MSOs, including Comcast, Time Warner, Cox Communications, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and other smaller MSOs--to form the Broadband Adoption Initiative.
The goal of the new "Broadband Adoption Initiative" consortium is set on creating new 250,000 new broadband subscribers and computer users to low-income housing projects. Set to cost an estimated $78.32 million, the group is asking for $52.11 million through its joint proposal.
In addition to receiving support from other industry associations, including US Telecom and large computing companies such as Microsoft and Dell, the Digital Adoption Coalition says its proposal already has the backing of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the FCC.
