Complete Story
 

01/28/2009

Broadband Tax Incentives Added to Stimulus Bill

By: John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable

According to Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WVA), the Senate Finance Committee accepted his amendment to the bill that creates a number of tax breaks companies that invest in broadband rollouts.

The amendment creates a 10% tax credit for investment in current-generation broadband infrastructure for underserved areas, a 20% credit for current-generation infrastructure in unserved areas, and 20% credit for higher-speed next-generation broadband.

The bill also has $9 billion in grants for broadband deployment.

Still being worked out in terms of the broadband stimulus in both bills is exactly who will qualify for the all that help.

Satellite companies, for example, are working hard to make sure that wireless broadband is included in the conversation.

Both the House and Senate are considering versions of the stimulus package that include billions for broadband deployment. President-elect Barack Obama made that deployment to unserved and underserved areas a priority of his tech policy agenda and one of the key elements in his economic recovery plan.
He even invoked the digital wires that connected the nation in his Inaugural address.

Source: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/162910-Broadband_Tax_Incentives_Added_to_Stimulus_Bill.php?rssid=20065