BROOMFIELD, CO (August 8, 2011) - EAGLE-Net Alliance (EAGLE-Net) has received approval from the federal government to begin the next phase of the $100.6 million Broadband Technology and Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant received in September 2010.
EAGLE-Net has received notice that its Environmental Assessment has been approved and that it has received a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) which oversees the BTOP program.
According to Randy Zila, CEO of EAGLE-Net Alliance, "This approval allows us to move into the next phase of the grant and begin constructing connections to the identified community anchor institutions in our grant application."
EAGLE-Net will be working collaboratively with public-private partners to construct a broadband network across the state of Colorado that will connect 234 community anchor institutions. Included in the grant application are all 178 public school districts, 26 libraries, 15 community colleges, 3 institutions of higher education and 12 Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).
"EAGLE-Net will work with providers in a public-private capacity to deliver broadband throughout Colorado," according to Denise Atkinson-Shorey, President. "Through this expansion, EAGLE-Net will enable school children and community members to gain access to opportunities that were previously unattainable."
The expansion of broadband connectivity and services through EAGLE-Net benefits the entire state of Colorado. With its Round-2 BTOP funding, EAGLE-Net is focused on fostering and expanding educational opportunities in the K-12 public school sector. EAGLE-Net is also working with higher education institutions and libraries to expand their broadband connectivity options and access to research and education networks like Internet2.
EAGLE-Net's fully collaborative and secure high-speed broadband network will continue to expand and enhance available services for education, research, healthcare, workforce development, local government and public safety. EAGLE-Net will also make available excess network capacity to private sector providers for their own expansion needs.
EAGLE-Net is excited to move into the next phase of the project and begin connecting all four corners of the state onto one network.