My email to ION

Hello,

I live at the top of Otsego County, and do not receive broadband
internet service in my home. I saw your company's name on the
application list for Federal Stimulus funds. I am wondering if the
receipt of those funds would lead to greater broadband coverage in
Otsego County, more specifically the towns between Richfield Springs,
Springfield and Cooperstown.

Thanks for your time!
Rachel Robinson
Richfield Springs, NY 13439

List of NY State applications for federal stimulus funds

This link will bring up the list of New York State businesses and agencies that applied for Federal Stimulus funds for the expansion of rural broadband:

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants/applications/results.cfm?org=&keywords=&state=NY

This searchable list can be found on the Federal Broadband homepage.

Don't see any local organizations on the list? I found two that apply to me (I think)

Applicant: County of Otsego -Oneonta, NY
Contact: Carolyn Lewis
607-432-8871
lewisc@otsegocounty.com
Project title: Otsego County Open Access Telecommunications Backbone
Program: BIP/BTOP
Proposed Project Area NY
Project type: Middle Mile
Grant request* $ 3,588,368
Status: Application Received
Description: Installation of a County-wide fiber optic backbone ring, designed to connect all areas of the community together thus enabling the deployment of affordable, high bandwidth capabilities for residents, businesses municipalities, educational entities, healthcare institutions and public safety entities
*For BIP/BTOP joint applications, grant amount reflects grant request for BIP.


Applicant: Research Foundation of SUNY for SUNYIT - Utica, NY
Contact: Deborah Tyksinski
315-792-7151
deborah.tyksinski@sunyit.edu
Project title: The Digital Towpath Broadband Stimulus Project
Program: BTOP
Proposed Project Area: NY
Project type: Sustainable Broadband Adoption
Grant request: $ 2,515,320
Status: Application Received
Description: The Digital Towpath Broadband Stimulus Project will grow demand for broadband in rural New York; increase access to government; and encourage citizen participation. It will expand the Digital Towpath Project, a cost-effective shared service of small and rural local governments, which has successfully assisted rural broadband adopters in their sustained use of e-government for over ten years.

How exciting! There was also a broadband provider called ION whom I contacted just now. ION applied for about $39 million to increase NY state coverage. They already provide service in Herkimer and Utica so there's always a chance they would make it down to me.