CPUC Approves Consortia Grants To Increase Broadband Adoption

California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco

_________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE Media Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov Docket #: Res T-17355

CPUC APPROVES CONSORTIA GRANTS TO
INCREASE BROADBAND ADOPTION

SAN FRANCISCO, February 16, 2012 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today approved seven California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Rural and Urban Regional Broadband Consortia grants totaling approximately $1 million for high-speed Internet deployment, access, and adoption activities in the following areas:

APPLICANT	CASF FUNDED YEAR-ONE BUDGET	CASF FUNDED TOTAL BUDGET
California's One Million New Internet Users Coalition (Los Angeles County)	$150,000	$450,000
Central Sierra Connect Broadband Consortium (Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, Tuolumne Counties)	$150,000	$450,000
Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium (Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba Counties)	$149,518	$448,301
Eastern Sierra Connect Regional Broadband Consortium (Inyo, Mono, eastern Kern Counties)	$150,000	$450,000
Gold Country Broadband Consortium (El Dorado, eastern Alpine, Nevada, Placer, Sierra Counties)	$150,000	$450,000
Inland Empire Regional Broadband Consortium (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties)	$150,000	$450,000
San Diego Imperial Regional Broadband Consortium (Imperial and San Diego Counties)	$150,000	$450,000
TOTAL GRANT AWARDS	$1,049,518

Said CPUC President Michael R. Peevey, "Today's addition of seven broadband deployment, access, and adoption consortia groups to the CASF program will result in a total of 14 consortia groups in California working to advance broadband deployment, access, and adoption in unserved and underserved areas."

Said Commissioner Catherine J.K. Sandoval, "High-speed Internet access is key to enabling the people of California and our state to compete in the 21^st century. The work of the 14 CASF grantees, including the seven grants awarded today, will ensure that more Californians throughout our large and diverse state have access to and use broadband Internet connections. We look forward to reports on the fruits of the Consortia grantees' labor to help Californians prosper."

On December 1, 2011, the CPUC approved $1,669,895 for the first seven broadband deployment consortia. With today's approved broadband projects, the total year-one program budget is $2,719,413 to date. The consortia projects are eligible for second- and third-year budget renewals, subject to conditions.

A previous CPUC decision (D.11-06-038) approved the implementation of the Rural and Urban Regional Broadband Consortia grant program and the funding of activities promoting broadband deployment, access, and adoption with a budget of $10 million.

Various consortia activities will promote and advance broadband deployment, access, and adoption by:

· Increasing sustainability of broadband infrastructure and projects;

· Promoting broadband deployment (availability) for residences in California;

· Promoting broadband access and adoption (knowledge of service options and ability to utilize services as well as subscription of services) for residences in California;

· Increasing the rate of broadband adoption by facilitating the impact of consumer education, outreach, and training; and

· Supporting those community-based parties, especially anchor institutions that are working to increase deployment, access, and adoption.

In September 2010, the CASF was extended indefinitely when Senator Alex Padilla's (D-Pacoima) Senate Bill 1040 was signed into law.

The proposal voted on is available at http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/word_pdf/AGENDA_RESOLUTION/159470.pdf.

For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

###