Broadband Breakfast Club Webinar on Tuesday, December 17, at 11 a.m. ET: ‘Evaluating the Broadband Stimulus Program: Were Funds Well Spent?’

WASHINGTON, December 11, 2013 – The Broadband Breakfast Club announced that it will host a free, online webinar on Tuesday, December 17, 2013, at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT, on “Evaluating the Broadband Stimulus Program: Were Broadband Technology Opportunities Program Funds Well-Spent?”

Authors Gregory Rosston and Scott Wallsten, in a publication for the Technology Policy Institute, have called the broadband stimulus program “A Rural Boondoggle and Missed Opportunity.”

In the paper, the authors conclude that the “NTIA adopted a system that led to awards differing by more than a factor of 100 in terms of expected cost-effectiveness. Had it adopted a more reasonable framework, many more households could have been connected for the same money, or the same number of connections could have been realized for a fraction of the cost.”

In a critique of the study by the Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition, Executive Director John Windhausen characterized the report as a misunderstanding of BTOP’s purposes. “The program also provided valuable support for public computer centers and promoted broadband adoption in urban, suburban and rural areas. Unlike an ongoing subsidy, BTOP provided a one-time investment in long-lasting broadband infrastructure that previously suffered from an inadequate level of broadband capacity.”

In a session moderated by Drew Clark, Chairman and Publisher of BroadbandBreakfast.com, Rosston, Wallsten and Windhausen will debate the Technology Policy Study in the webinar on December 17. Register today!