Federal broadband stimulus dollars largely unallocated, Philly included

Philadelphia is not alone in waiting for the dispersal of $7.2 billion in federal broadband stimulus dollars, much of which remains unallocated, according to a report by NPR.
That delay, some advocates say, comes at least in part from blocking by major telecommunications companies, like Comcast.

“They aren’t leading, they aren’t following, and they won’t get out of the way,” broadband consultant Craig Settles told NPR. “They’re not going to put proposals on the table because they don’t like the rules… yet they’re not going to cooperate with the entities that are going after the money.”
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has received more than 2,200 applications, including several from Philadelphia groups and the city government.
In October, the city’s application for funding failed to receive the highest grade of approval from the state.
Last month, we reported that the state had received a $2.2 million grant from the federal fund, but that another round of funding was coming, without the city’s project included.