Internet2 and BTOP Opportunities

The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) was funded in February 2009 with $4.7B by the ARRA to enhance broadband connectivity to underserved areas and community anchor institutions. Based on the recently released notice of funding availability (NOFA), BTOP provides an opportunity for the government to invest in infrastructure key to ensuring anchor institutions have access to the broadband resources they require to transform education, research, heath care, public safety, and government.

The ARRA legislation envisions support for regional and local broadband infrastructure, and emphasizes development of "comprehensive communities." These communities require more than local resources to connect them to the global communities that make up our 21st century economy. National, regional and local infrastructure investments are needed to ensure end-to-end network performance and support for future-looking technology. A national R&E community proposal is being considered which intends to articulate the need for a national fabric that brings together all of those anchor institutions into a comprehensive national community.

National Research and Education Partnership Awarded $62.5 Million Recovery Act Grant for 100 Gigabit Community Anchor Backbone Network

New U.S. Unified Community Anchor Network will connect community anchor institutions across the U.S. with advanced broadband capabilities

ANN ARBOR, Mich. July 2, 2010 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today awarded more than $62.5 million in federal stimulus funding through its Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) to a group of national research and education networking organizations including Internet2 (also known as University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development), National LambdaRail (NLR)*, Indiana University, the Northern Tier Network Consortium. In collaboration with technology companies Ciena, Cisco, Infinera, and Juniper Networks, the group proposes the construction of the United States Unified Community Anchor Network (U.S. UCAN), an advanced 100 Gigabit per second network backbone that will link regional networks across the nation, including other projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The NTIA grant will be supplemented with an additional $34 million in contributions from the proposal partners and suppliers.

*NLR was part of the original award but it has since withdrawn from the project (October, 2010)

See United States Unified Community Anchor Network (U.S. UCAN) for more details.

Read the press release

Questions? Email Internet2: btop@internet2.edu