How To Get A Grant: Part 2(A)

UNDER ROUND 2 OF THE NTIA BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY

OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM (BTOP)
How to Get a Grant Guide Part 2 (A): NTIA/BTOP

NTIA: BTOP

Introduction

This is the second part of the MuniWireless How to Get a Grant Guide. The first part, published in July 2009, covered Round 1 of
broadband stimulus funding by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and Rural Utilities Service
(RUS). NTIA runs the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and RUS runs the Broadband Initiatives Program
(BIP). They are the agencies designated by Congress to give out money for broadband projects targeted at underserved and
unserved areas in the United States.

The NTIA and RUS have changed the rules for Round 2. Because many people found the Round 1 rules burdensome, and the
agencies themselves could not cope with the volume of applications, they decided to streamline the Round 2 application process
and raise barriers to reduce the number of applicants.

This guide contains a summary of the new rules for the NTIA’s BTOP Round 2, with a few commentaries.

If you are serious about turning in an application, you must read the official rules, which you can download from
www.broadbandusa.gov. The official rules are written in a bureaucratic language that sounds strange to most people, which
makes them difficult to read. The NTIA’s Notice of Funds Availability or NOFA (in plain English, “rules you have to follow to get
money from them”) runs to 116 pages (in its double-spaced US Letter format). In the race for bureaucratic excess, the RUS
came up short, clocking in with only 68 pages.

Since this is a typical Federal government production, it is brimming with acronyms. Hence, I start with a Guide to Acronyms.

Guide to Acronyms
NTIA: National Telecommunications and Information Administration
RUS: Rural Utilities Service
BTOP: Broadband Technology Opportunities Program
BIP: Broadband Initiatives Program
NOFA: Notice of Funds Availability
CCI: Comprehensive Community Infrastructure (“Middle Mile”)
PCC: Public Computer Centers
SBA: Sustainable Broadband Adoption
OTIA: Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications

Money matters
In Round 2, the NTIA has divided up $2.6 billion among three types of projects:

$2.35 billion for Comprehensive Community Infrastructure (“Middle Mile” projects)

$150 million for Public Computer Centers

$100 million for Sustainable Broadband Adoption

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Changes to the BTOP Rules

• Separate applications for BTOP and BIP: In Round 1, applicants were forced to file one application for both. In Round 2,
applicants must choose between BTOP and BIP.

• Urban areas actually have a chance of winning grants for middle mile projects.

• Three categories of BTOP eligible projects:

• Comprehensive Community Infrastructure or “Middle Mile”: projects that provide new or upgraded connections to
community anchor institutions, especially community colleges.

• Public Computer Centers: projects that improve broadband capacity at places that allow the public to use computers.
These include public libraries and community colleges.

• Sustainable Broadband Adoption: projects that promote broadband demand and provide training, equipment or support
to people who, despite the dazzling array of cool applications and gadgets (latest of which is the Apple iPad), need to be
dragged kicking and screaming into (Al Gore’s) Information Superhighway. Projects that turn these people into Internet
fanatics stand a very good chance of getting money.

• Come up with matching (cash) funds: the minimum is 20 percent of the project’s costs. If you can raise 30 percent or more,
you get priority.

• Easier to get to the due diligence review stage: you have to meet only three criteria -- (a) be an eligible entity, (b) complete the
application and show that you have outside funding. If you pass, yo get to the due diligence review.

• To reduce the paperwork burden in the initial stage, NTIA removed the technical feasibility and budget reasonableness tests.
These factors will be considered during the due diligence review.

• NTIA will use 2 instead of 3 reviewers to speed up the review process.

• Eliminated proposed funded service area mapping tool and changed service area delineations from Census Blocks to Census
Tracts and Block Groups.

• Reduced the number of attachments you need to submit with your application.

• You must file electronically: https://www.applyonline.broadbandusa.gov

Deadlines

Application period: 16 February 2010, 8:00 (EST) - 15 March 2010, 17:00 (EST)

Date of awards: NTIA plans to start announcing grant winners in June 2010. Allow for delays. They need to award all the money
by 30 September 2010.

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Comprehensive Community Infrastructure Projects

NTIA’s Round 2 focuses on comprehensive communities infrastructure: community anchor institution + “Middle Mile” Project. A
Middle Mile Project means those components of a CCI project that provide broadband service from one or more centralized
facilities, i.e. a central office, cable headend, wireless switching station) to an Internet point of presence. Applications for Middle
Mile projects that fulfill all of the following criteria have the greatest chance of receiving a grant. The criteria are listed below in
order of importance:

(1) offers new or substantially upgraded service to “community anchor institutions” (schools, libraries, medical and healthcare
providers, public safety entities, community colleges and other institutions of higher education, and other community support
organizations and agencies that provide outreach, access, equipment and support services to facilitate greater use of
broadband service by vulnerable populations, including low-income, the unemployed, and the aged).

(2) Creates private-public partnership among government, for-profit, non-profit entities and other community stakeholders that
need broadband.

(3) Creates economic growth in depressed areas.

(4) Serves community colleges that need broadband service or better broadband.

(5) Serves public safety entities that need broadband service or better broadband.

(6) Includes Last Mile infrastructure component in unserved or underserved areas or commitments from Last Mile broadband
service providers that they will use the Middle Mile infrastructure.

(7) Comes up with 30 percent or more of the project’s cost from other (non-federal) sources.

Rationale for the CCI policy: by having more Middle Mile infrastructure throughout the US, local Internet service providers will
have more choice and lower prices for leasing broadband wholesale from the Middle Mile owner, thereby (hopefully) passing on
the cost savings to their residential and business customers. This is very important for local businesses in unserved and
underserved areas. A robust Middle Mile also allows municipal, county and state government agencies to have better broadband
service, enabling them to become more efficient and responsive. Therefore, when you write your grant application you need to
show how your project will stimulate job creation and economic progress. Be as specific as possible. Show how local
businesses, which are at disadvantage compared to their competitors in areas with better broadband, can now compete,
prosper and hire people.

IMPORTANT: If you are already an RUS loan or grant recipient, or if your application includes a Last Mile service area that is at
least 75 percent rural, you should apply to BIP for funding.

Public Computer Centers (PCC)

Your application must bring broadband service or expand/improve broadband at a public computer center. These include
community colleges and public libraries. The target users of these centers can be the general public or what NTIA calls
“vulnerable populations” (odd term, but it essentially means low-income, unemployed, aged, people with disabilities, children,
minorities). These centers can provide job training and educational assistance.

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Sustainable Broadband Adoption (SBA)

This program is designed to fund innovative projects to promote broadband demand among vulnerable populations (see loose
definition above). The goal is to get these people to use computers and the Internet more often than they already do. The
thinking behind this is if they are all online all the time, it’s easier for them to find information, find jobs, educate themselves, etc.

Application Review
(1) During the initial review, the NTIA checks to see if you meet the eligibility requirements. Are you one of the Eligible Entities as
defined in the NOFA? Did you fully complete the application? Are you providing matching funds from non-federal sources?

(2) For PCC and SBA, two expert reviewers will score your application; for CCI, staff will prioritize applications based whether the
applications meet all or some of the 7 criteria laid out above in the Community Comprehensive Infrastructure section. So you
get 1st priority if you meet 1-7; 2nd priority if you meet 1-6 and so on; last priority if you meet only the 1st criterion.

(3) State and Tribal consultation: NTIA will ask each State, via its Governor, to provide input on the geographic areas to which
NTIA should give priority. Tribal entities can also comment on applications. However, neither states nor tribal entities have any
veto power.

Due Diligence Review

If you get through the first stage described above, NTIA will ask you to submit more information including justifications for the
project costs, technical feasibility, etc. You have to show that the project cannot be implemented during the grant period
without federal help.

Selection of grant winners

The BTOP director will present a list of recommended grant awards to the OTIA Administrator. If he or she approves an
application, it goes to the Assistant Secretary for the final approval.

Tips to make your application stand out

(1) Come up with 30 percent or more matching funds (although the statute requires 20 percent of matching funds), preferably in
cash.

(2) Show that but for federal funding, the project cannot be implemented.

(3) Your Middle Mile project must support broadband service that has an advertised speed of at least 768 Kbps downstream and
200 Kbps upstream to end users.

(4) If you are creating a Last Mile infrastructure as part of a CCI project in a rural area, the additional costs of the Last Mile
(providing broadband to residential and non-community anchor customers) cannot exceed 20 percent of the total eligible cost
of your project.

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(5) Show that the project will be substantially completed within 2 years from the start date of the grant award and finished within
3 years.

(6) CCI applicants must meet the “net neutrality” rules (Nondiscrimination and Interconnection Obligations).

(7) A CCI application that includes a Last Mile component must identify the Last Mile service area. NTIA assumes you will cover
the entire service area but if you can’t, you need to get a waiver and tell them in great detail why providing service to the entire
area is too burdensome.

(8) When preparing your CCI application, be aware that incumbent broadband service providers can tell the NTIA that there is
existing adequate broadband service in your proposed service area. The incumbents have to provider details on how many
households are served, price of broadband, speeds, etc.). The NTIA uses this information to prioritize applications. Make sure
you collect data on who’s got what kind of broadband in your service area to rebut the incumbents’ claim that there’s
adequate broadband.

(9) For PCC projects: show you are serving vulnerable populations and improving their access to education, employment, health
care service, etc. If you are a city that has a lot of people who have lost jobs in manufacturing (auto, textiles, etc.), show how
your public computer centers integrate job retraining programs.

(10) For SBA projects, include reputable market research and surveys that show your project has a very high chance of getting
people to use computers and subscribe to broadband services for a long period of time.

(11) Follow carefully what the NTIA considers to be eligible and ineligible costs for CCI, PCC and SBA projects.

(12) Write your application paying close attention to the points system that NTIA assigns to various aspects of a project. The
points system is laid out in the NOFA.

(13) For CCI applicants deploying fiber connectivity to community anchor institutions: it’s not enough to bring 100 Mbps to
students sitting at their desks in community colleges. NTIA is looking for community impact: you need to show that this fiber
capacity benefits people outside the college, especially local businesses. Contact local ISPs and other people who are willing
to lease capacity from your network and deliver Internet access to residents, businesses and local government offices.

(14) Municipalities and counties applying for a CCI grant: enter into partnerships with colleges and other anchor institutions in
your region; contact local ISPs and get their support; make sure you mention how the CCI meets the needs of your public
safety departments - detail the new applications that the police and fire departments will now be able to use with the
improved broadband service and how this will benefit the community.

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Extras: A Community Wireless Model

Here is an interesting example of a community wireless project that incorporates Middle Mile and Last Mile elements. This model
comes from the Internet Archive (Brewster Kahle) in San Francisco. Brewster proposed this architecture for the city of San
Francisco after the failure of EarthLink to deploy a citywide Wi-Fi network.

In the illustration below, the Middle Mile infrastructure consists of the fiber connections from the Internet Archive to the municipal
fiber network; the municipal fiber network itself; connections from the muni fiber network to buildings and technology centers;
fiber connections between technology centers, colleges and other buildings to Internet points of presence. Home owners, ISPs,
building owners, non-profits, and businesses can place wireless access points, such as the ones sold by equipment vendors
(see the Vendor Directory at the end of this document for a small selection) on rooftops to provide the Last Mile connectivity to
end users. Fiber need not be the sole component of a Middle Mile network: you can also use wireless connections (e.g. WiMAX
point-to-point links). The purpose of the NTIA’s CCI funding is to create these fiber rings and wired/wireless connections (in the
case of rural areas, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint links) between community anchor institutions and Internet POPs. Local
ISPs, business owners, residents, non-profits and anyone interested in providing the last mile connection to the end user can
lease access from the owner of the Middle Mile network to do so. Your CCI grant application can have a Last Mile component
but NTIA will fund Last Mile costs up to 20 percent of total project cost (note: the RUS is funding Last Mile projects through BIP).

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Commentaries on BTOP and BIP, tips on how to prepare an application

Here are a few commentaries from Craig Settles, a frequent contributor to MuniWireless.com.

Handicapping NOFA 2

The good news is that the new NOFA rules are out. The bad news, if you have Attention Deficit Disorder, is that there are two of
them and each one seems as long as the first NOFA rules. But at least there are welcome changes. Here’s an overview and a
look at who does well as a result of these. 

First, I think it’s wise to let each group have its own rules. Many of the frustration people have had with the NOFA, Round 1 stem
from the rules being a quick blending of procedures from agencies with two different purposes and ways of doing business. That
led to the rules contradicting each other in places, or otherwise breeding confusion.

In terms of focus, NTIA is addressing middle mile primarily and this makes sense because it gives NTIA a bigger bang for their
buck, allowing them to bring broadband to large geographical areas through each award. Rather than spend time reviewing 30
proposals for $1 million each, better to review one proposal for $30 million. There’s less administrative hassle on the backend
where NTIA has to manage each funded project to completion.

RUS, mercifully, has eliminated the “remote, non-remote” qualifications combined with different (and confusing) grant versus loan
options that have driven people absolutely crazy. Now it’s a straight up 75/25 grant-to-loan ratio for all projects. The final
definition of rural is what it was pre-stimulus at RUS in terms of population size and proximity to big cities.

The other thing that’s good for RUS is their focus on last mile projects. Though it’s still a pain to address a lot of individual
communities on the proposal review side, at least RUS has 400 field offices. So, unlike NTIA’s smaller staff in just a couple of
locations, RUS has people spread across the U.S. who can make providing oversight of the awardees a more manageable
process.

For communities, RUS’ last-mile focus could become a negative for those places that want to band together for a countywide or
other large-scale network. You can’t create a uniform last-mile umbrella over several dozen towns without some serious backhaul
action, and backhaul=middle mile if you want to be nit-picky about definitions. Some of you had better ask for clarification to
determine how you word a proposal so as to not get bounced by RUS. Maybe you can call yours a hybrid wired-wireless
network in which the fiber does double duty as last and middle mile.    

The one thing I question is RUS’ intent to make money available for satellite broadband projects. Even though it is to cover areas
still left unserved after all the original money is awarded, satellite has a poor reputation (based on experience) for cost/speed.
Considering that RUS has way more applicants than money available, shouldn’t that money budgeted for satellite be made
available to cover projects with better cost/speed deliverables?

After reading these points, see my post on possible action steps to take in response to NOFA 2. 

Who’s looking good with these new rules in place

1. NOFA 2 for NTIA clearly enshrines net neutrality AND open access on all networks built. Big win for communities. 
2. A bit worrisome is that the same is not in RUS’ NOFA. Could be RUS’ history of dealing with local telcos opposed to
the idea, or maybe they think last mile networks aren’t good vehicles for multiple providers. The umps are heading to
the review booth on this one. 
3. NTIA’s NOFA 2 sticks with the pitiful baseline to define broadband speed (768 Kbps down, 200 Kbps up). Give RUS a
hand. They’ve set the minimum bar at 5 Mbps combined, so your up and down in whatever combination of speeds
need to equal 5Mbps. And since RUS is focusing almost entirely on last mile projects, that’s huge for consumers. So
the home team batted .500 here. 
4. Public Private Partnerships are highly valued AND prioritized by NTIA. Grand slam to win the big game for community
broadband supporters! I don’t see the same level of enthusiasm in RUS’ NOFA. Back to the review booth.  
5. Cities catch a break! Since NTIA is removing the requirement that infrastructure projects must be located in unserved or
underserved areas, cities can play. The key to winning, though, comes from how you state your case (see my other
post). Un- and underserved communities still have priority. Not the biggest win, but cities are at least in the game this
round more than they were in the last one.
6. Broadband access is still defined in terms of whether or not a household “readily can subscribe to that service upon
request.” We pretty much lost that round. “Subscribe to” and “actually get” are a world apart in many places. The only

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way to beat that issue down is to have documentation for all the times constituents and business asked for service and
got some silly excuse for why they’re being ignored.
7. Incumbent challenges are still a reality of broadband stimulus life. However, they have to provide 7 types of data,
including speeds, prices and numbers of subscribers and the details of their challenge will be made public. Applicants
can defend themselves, so bring numbers and other data to due diligence to trump challenges. Score a couple of runs
for the home team, but they give up a couple too. However, I don’t think too many will lose the game here. 
8. Round 1 winners can go back to the pot to get more money to connect libraries and write economic development
strategy plans. May not end up being a ton of money, but it’s better than a sharp stick in the eye (an optometrist told
me that one). Actually, this falls under the “Little Things That Mean a Lot” banner. So we’ll score a couple of RBI’s for
this.  

Overall, I think community broadband supporters won some needed improvements and have a stronger position from which to
work. We didn’t lose any ground, but we still have some rules that best should have fallen by the wayside. When the FCC
reforms the Universal Service Fund, they can learn a lot from all of this for when they establish rules for distributing that money.

One major concern was how much easier it would be to complete and submit an application with new rules to streamline the
process. It appears this process will be much faster because a lot of the information that was a major pain to compile and file is
now required only if you get called for the due diligence process. This is good because you have almost no time to make the
deadline of March 15. You can put off some of that work until you file your application, though not as much as you might think on
the first read. 

From a timing standpoint, some of you need to think long and hard over the next few days about what you want to do. The
deadline for your proposal is less than 60 days away.  If you don’t have a solid broadband plan, have identified potential partners
in these past few months and people willing to work 24/7 for a month from February on, ask yourself “how badly do we really
want that money,” and be brutally honest in your assessment of your ability to run the gauntlet.

Those of you in the middle of Round 1 who haven’t been called in for due diligence? You may want to consider packing it in and
looking at NOFA 2. Since the rules and requirements have been streamlined in some important areas, you may not be looking at
that much work to prepare a new application. Besides, your original proposal’s still on the table and you could get that last-
minute call.

Taking Action on the New NOFA Rules

Welcome to NOFA 2 and the 60-day march through hell (for some) to $4 billion. After the sudden delivery of the preliminary set of
NOFA rules, I made the comment that it is good that the agencies are going their separate ways. Trying to keep the NTIA/RUS
marriage together for the sake of the kids didn’t make sense. 

Then I looked at draft of the NOFA for NTIA and RUS. That’s nearly 200 pages! My brain glazed over. No wonder they waited until
Friday before a 3-day weekend! Then at midnight, I got an e-mail from the New America Foundation with incredibly thorough
summaries of NOFA 2 highlighting changes from NOFA 1 and other valuable details condensed into 85% fewer pages. Read the
summaries before the actual NOFAs.

For my part, since New America breaks down what NOFA 2 is all about, I’m giving you some tips on what to do about these
rules so you can get a good proposal across the finish line. There’s barely two months to the March 15 deadline for your
proposal, so I’m not prettying this post up. This train’s leaving the station. You can complain to the Fed’s conductors later about
whatever injustices you spot.  

You should pull up New America’s BTOP and BIP summaries because I’m going to track my comments along side of theirs as
best as I can.

Because policy peeps and broadband advocates won’t stop fidgeting until they know how NOFA 2 affects their favorite causes,
here’s a synopsis so I can get to the action recs.

Suggested plan prep - BTOP NOFA

1. NTIA’s focusing heavily on middle mile projects that touch communities’ major institutions. That means it’s time to
partner you butts off. And call the Gates Foundation.
2. Cities can play in NOFA 2, but here’s the trick. You don’t have to prove you have unserved and underserved by criteria
of less than 50% having those ticky-tack minimum speeds. But because un- and underserved have priority, you have to
push heavy on the fact that your communities are un- and underserved by criteria that really matter to NTIA’s stated
goals for these grants.

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3. You’ve been freed from the shackles of providing data at the census block level. This probably knocks 10% off of your
pain-time Misery Index. Nevertheless, you cannot underestimate the value of mapping! People with wireless projects in
mind, you can recalibrate your brain now when you consider how to shape your proposed coverage area.
4. The Twitterverse suffered a minor aneurism as people saw that NTIA is giving extra points to those coming up with 30%
matching funds. Chill. The minimum required is still 20%. But if you still want to have that blood pressure spike, go
ahead. Then turn to this type of economic development fundraising effort.
5. You don’t have to prove conclusively with extensive spreadsheets your financial sustainability model at the time you
submit your app. But you still have to do it! And it’s probably not going to do you any good to show some wild
projections for profitability in you initial proposal, and then show a starkly different picture in the due diligence session.      
6. There’s only going to be two reviewers in the first phase of evaluation, not three like last time. You’d better write some
darn good, no-b.s. prose that clearly makes your case. Without that tie-breaker reviewer, you could be hosed if there’s
a hung jury. (Think- I’m an NTIA executive reviewer, 100 apps in my In Box, 25 of which the reviewers can’t conclude if
the app is a good one or not. That’s 25 fewer apps I’ll review.)
7. You have fewer attachments required in NOFA 2. You win! You and a gezillion others still have to file electronically.
Beware the Ides of March!
8. Incumbents can still challenge your application, and you should expect them to. However, for NTIA they only have 15
days to challenge, they have to defend by disclosing 7 categories of information and you get to defend yourself during
due diligence. On March 16 start collecting primary data from constituents on who doesn’t have what.
9. You get bonus points (figurative or actual) if you bring last-mile broadband to economically distressed areas. Big Cities,
listen up! Most of you have economic development zones. Center your proposals on those. Everybody, listen up! Want
to come up with 30% matching? Make the middle mile portion 70% of the project, get several providers to agree to
build last mile to the extent it equals at least 10% of total project cost. You were going come up with 20% anyway.
Forget asking for a waiver for the 20%, it only lowers your priority in the pack. 
10. A bunch of criteria have been eliminated or clarified, though you get bonus consideration if you have them. Think
judiciously about which ones you chose to ignore.
11. Take note of the 7 criteria starting on the bottom of page 5 of New America’s summary, particularly you larger cities with
police and fire departments. If you tackle the un- and underserved issue effectively, you should be able to meet some of
these 7 criteria.
12. If you haven’t kissed up to the Governor’s office or your state legislatures since the holidays, pucker up, peeps. They
still have a role to play. Besides your desire for an endorsement of your application, you don’t want them to evoke the
“appropriate use of taxpayer dollars” clause against you (NOFA pg 83). A lot of governors are running for re-election this
year, so it could be debatable whether you can rely on them to play an active role that plays favorites with some
applications over others on the “Recommended” list.  

Other Excellent Resources

BTOP: Changes, Requirements and Critical Details for Final Broadband Stimulus Round (New America Foundation)

Baller Herbst Analysis of Key Changes for Round Two (January 18, 2010) (Baller Herbst Group)

Federal Government Resources

Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

Broadband Technology Opportunities Program Notice of Funds Availability - Fact Sheet

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 Directory of Vendors and Partners

I would like to thank the following companies for sponsoring this guide. Some are listed in the online Muniwireless Vendor
Directory with a Company Profile Page. The vendors mentioned in this directory are looking to provide equipment, software and
services to people who are embarking on BIP and BTOP projects.

AllCITY WIRELESS

Easy, super smart WiDirect Solution from AllCity lets wireless operators fully manage any type of network. Both Wi-Fi
and Point-to-Multipoint Fixed Wireless networks benefit from the network management that WiDirect provides:
billing, provisioning, reporting, monitoring and user management. With WiDirect, all you need is to add radios.
Everything else - from captive portals to ad delivery - is built in. RUS Approved.
http://allcity-wireless.com/

ALVARION

Alvarion (NASDAQ: ALVR) is the largest WiMAX pure-player with the most extensive WiMAX customer base and
over 250 commercial deployments around the globe. Committed to growing the WiMAX market, the company offers
solutions for a wide range of frequency bands supporting a variety of business cases. Alvarion equipment is used in
many rural and urban wireless network projects around the world.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/resources-page/vendor-directory/company-profile-alvarion

AZALEA NETWORKS

Azalea Networks, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, is the first company to deliver a truly scalable and
intelligent wireless broadband mesh infrastructure through the combination of Layer-3 wireless routing technology
and a multi-radio system. Azalea’s family of mesh and point-to-multipoint routers provide 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi access, 5
GHz for backhaul connectivity, and 4.9 GHz for public safety use in North America.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/2009/04/07/company-profile-azalea-networks/
How to Get a Grant Guide Part 2 (A): NTIA/BTOP

BRIDGEWAVE COMMUNICATIONS

Founded in 1999, BridgeWave Communications, Inc. is the leading supplier of wireless gigabit connectivity
solutions. BridgeWave’s point-to-point wireless bridges are widely deployed in mainstream enterprise and service
provider network applications and are poised to play a key role in the migration to 4G mobile network backhaul.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/2009/05/21/company-profile-bridgewave-communications/

FIRETIDE

Firetide is the leading provider of multi-service mesh networks for industrial and municipal applications. Firetide
provides a secure, high performance wireless mesh infrastructure and access solution for video surveillance, Internet
access, public safety networks, and temporary networks wherever rapid deployment, mobility, and ease of
installation are required. Designed for seamless indoor and outdoor operation, Firetide mesh networks securely
handle concurrent video, voice, and data applications, making it ideal for large scale municipal and enterprise
networks.

JOHNSON CONTROLS

Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and
travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, JCI creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable
world through products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million
commercial buildings. JCI specializes in helping local government entities around the country develop, fund and
implement sustainable practices. JCI helps to show communities how to fund projects out of the savings they
generate.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/2009/04/21/company-profile-johnson-controls/

MESHDYNAMICS

True MESH for the 21st century! MeshDynamics products are designed for applications that require low latency and
high bandwidth: wireless video surveillance, military deployments, sporting events, mines and industrial sites,
citywide networks, hotzones, and more. MeshDynamics third generation technology uses two backhaul radios and
dynamic channel interference avoidance so performance does not degrade over multiple hops, even as mesh
networks scale.

Company Profile Page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/2008/01/01/company-profile-mesh-dynamics/

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NOVARUM

Novarum provides strategic consulting and analysis for the wireless broadband data industry. Its focus is on the key
technologies of Wi-Fi, WiMAX and 3G cellular data. Novarum’s analysis and reports cut through the confusion of this
overlapping range of broadband, IP-based, licensed and unlicensed wireless data technologies. Novarum offers a
unique insider perspective from pioneers in the wireless networking industry who have practical experience bringing
wireless products to market. It provides guidance through the maze of technologies, standards, markets, regulatory
and business issues that characterize the wireless industry. Novarum offers consulting services to private and public
entities applying for, deploying and managing broadband projects funded by the NTIA and RUS.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/2009/04/18/company-profile-novarum/

PEPWAVE
Pepwave is a leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing specialized wireless broadband devices and
solutions. Pepwave’s products have been deployed by service providers, small and medium businesses, and
municipalities around the world. Pepwave was established to focus on new product development initiatives and
continues to bring innovation to the marketplace. Pepwave’s products are used in many municipal wireless
broadband networks to extend and enhance the range of wireless signals.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/2009/04/20/company-profile-pepwave/

PROXIM WIRELESS

Proxim Wireless (OTCQX: PRXM) is the only vendor that provides complete end-to-end wireless networks –
including WiMAX, unlicensed point-to-multipoint, wireless backhaul, indoor/outdoor Wi-Fi mesh and WLAN
technology -- ideal for rural broadband stimulus deployments that require a combination of performance and
affordability to ensure the fiscally responsible delivery of high-performance broadband. For more information on
Proxim's solutions and the options available to you for receiving government funding for your network, download
Proxim's FREE Rural Broadband Information Kit and Government Grant Resource Guide.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/2010/01/04/company-profile-proxim-wireless/

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STRIX SYSTEMS

Strix Systems is a worldwide leader in Wireless Mesh Networking with patented mesh algorithms and Layer 2
switching architecture that delivers the lowest latency, fastest roaming, and highest multi-hop throughput available.
Strix’s Access/One products provides the broadband mobility and reach to support voice, video, and data
applications. Strix Systems offers one-stop-solution by offering its expertise in applying for the grants and
technology expertise in deploying large-scale networks. Our team of domain experts have put together resources
that would enable you to obtain information about these programs.

Please visit our website to request the Kit: http://www.strixsystems.com/federal-broadband-kit.aspx. 

TROPOS NETWORKS

Tropos Networks is the worldwide market leader in wireless broadband IP networks used to build greener, safer,
smarter communities. Tropos solutions are used as a regional communication network foundation for deploying one
or many high-value applications that cost effectively increase mobile worker and operational efficiencies while
reducing operating costs. Tropos delivers the highest levels of reliability, scalability and security in the industry and
has an installed base of more that 750 customers in over 30 countries.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/resources-page/vendor-directory/company-profile-tropos-networks/

VECIMA NETWORKS

Vecima Networks (TSX:VCM) designs and manufactures products for fixed and nomadic wireless broadband
content delivery from 600 MHz to 5.8 GHz. Applications include data access, voice over IP, cellular backhaul, video
backhaul, smart grid/SCADA , smart meters/AMI, site monitoring, public safety and security/video surveillance.
Vecima’s wireless architecture is composed of high capacity base stations, subscriber stations and sophisticated
network management tools that have been deployed around the world.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/2009/12/14/company-profile-vecima-networks/

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ZHONE TECHNOLOGIES

Zhone Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZHNE) is a global leader in multi-service access network solutions, serving
more than 700 of the world’s most innovative network operators. The company offers the industry’s only fully-
integrated portfolio of MSAP, FTTx, EFM and metro Wi-Fi access technologies, improving network agility and
reducing the costs of delivering the full spectrum of access services, including residential and business broadband,
VoIP, and High-Definition IPTV over copper, fiber, and wireless. Zhone is headquartered in California, and its MSAP
products are all manufactured in the USA, in a facility that is emission, waste-water, and CFC free.

Company Profile page:

http://www.muniwireless.com/2009/07/13/company-profile-zhone-technologies/

**If you want to be get a Company Profile page on Muniwireless Online Vendor Directory, please email
esme@muniwireless.com. Find out more about how you can advertise on MuniWireless.com and sponsor our
upcoming events by requesting our 2010 Media Kit.

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Directory of Consultants

The consultants listed below provide services to public and private entities that are applying for funding under BIP and BTOP.

CRAIG SETTLES (SUCCESSFUL.COM)

Successful.com and lead consultant Craig Settles offer three services for organizations seeking to deploy
broadband services successfully through grants and other funding sources.

• Business plan/grant proposal review makes sure you've crossed the NOFA t's and dotted the i's.
• Broadband Success Partnership offers you funding, financial services and strategic planning.
• On-site Workshops assist you in Round 2 funding.

Go to: http://www.successful.com/services/munibb.html

BROOKS CONSULTING LLC

Brooks Consulting LLC is a wired and wireless Internet Protocol (IP) consulting firm based in the metro Washington
DC area. Our philosophy for designing, deploying, and operating IP networks is simplicity. We advocate IP network
simplicity to our clients to enable them to service their portfolio, optimize their network, and reduce CAPEX/OPEX
costs associating with the IP network life cycle. We specialize in the design and deployment of WiMAX IP Core and
backhaul networks. We also have experience in evaluating WiMAX network components and integrating these
elements into the IP Core. Need technical help in the NTIA/RUS grants process? Brooks Consulting LLC can help.
We can build a wireless ISP from the ground up using Tier 1 ISP best practices that maximize scalability in
processes, systems, and infrastructure.

Go to: http://brooksconsulting-llc.com

PROJECT SAFETY BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY CLUSTER

ProjectSafety is a St. Petersburg, Florida-based technology and business non-profit organization focused on the
deployment and future proof testing of municipal (and community) wireless broadband networks. Its unique
broadband wireless Community Network Integration (CNI) model addresses both technology requirements and
business needs in offering a single network solution for both the public and private sectors. Larry Karisny, director of
ProjectSafety, has extensive experience in municipal broadband deployments.

Contact: Larry Karisny, 727-735-8258 (lkarisny@gmail.com)

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GET MORE FROM MUNIWIRELESS.COM

MuniWireless.com is the premier resource for news and information about wireless broadband projects
(Wi-Fi, WiMAX, 3G and LTE) around the world. MuniWireless covers developments in consumer,
enterprise and government applications. Established in 2003 by Esmeralda Vos Yu as a blog,
MuniWireless has become a niche publishing company that, in addition to the website, produces
conferences, seminars, webinars, video and research reports, and offers consulting services.

Visit the website daily: www.muniwireless.com.

Sign up for the newsletter: www.muniwireless.com/subscribe/

Join the MuniWireless Linked In Group (over 970 members): www.linkedin.com/e/gis/1347277

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/muniwireless or http://twitter.com/esmevos

The 2010 MEDIA KIT is out! Lots of new advertising options and event information: email me at
esme@muniwireless.com.

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