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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
July 11, 2014 Mark Wigfield, 202-418-0253
E-mail: mark.wigfield@fcc.gov
FCC LAUNCHES RURAL BROADBAND EXPANSION EXPERIMENTS 
Applicants Will Compete to Deploy High-Performing Service at Lower Cost 
Washington, D.C. – Experiments to explore how robust broadband can be expanded at lower cost in 
rural America were launched today by the Federal Communications Commission.
The experiments will inform the agency’s broader effort to expand rural broadband through its Connect 
America Fund. They will also inform the FCC’s efforts to ensure that consumers everywhere can benefit 
from the sweeping technological advances occurring now in the communications industry, while 
preserving consumer protection, competition, universal service and access to emergency services during 
these transitions.
Up to $100 million will be available for the experiments, which will be divided into three groups as 
follows:
? $75 million to test construction of networks offering service plans providing 25 Mpbs 
downloads and 5 Mbps uploads – far in excess of the current Connect America Fund standard 
of 4/1 – for the same or lower amounts of support than will be offered to carriers in Phase II 
of Connect America
? $15 million to test interest in delivering service at 10/1 speeds in high cost areas
? $10 million for 10/1 service in areas that are extremely costly to serve.
Applicants will compete nationwide for the funds, which will be awarded to projects that are most cost 
effective. A key goal of the experiments is to test this competitive bidding process before it is used to 
allocate funds more broadly from the Connect America Fund, anticipated to occur later in 2015.
The experiments will also test service over diverse technologies, including fiber and wireless networks, 
and will be open to non-traditional providers, including electric utilities, wireless internet service 
providers, and others. To ensure diverse experiments, project sizes are capped, while entities serving 
Tribal lands are eligible for a 25% bidding credit.
The FCC’s initial announcement of rural broadband experiments in January received an enthusiastic 
response in the form of over 1,000 expressions of interest from a wide range of entities proposing service 
over diverse technologies.  Final applications for the experiments are due 90 days after release of the FCC 
order, with selection expected by the end of 2014.
The FCC is also seeking comment on how the Connect America Phase II competitive bidding process can 
offer bidding credits when states provide matching funds to expand rural broadband. 
Action by the Commission, July 11, 2014, by Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (FCC 14-98). Chairman Wheeler, Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel and Pai, with 
Commissioner O’Rielly concurring. Separate statements issued by Chairman Wheeler and 
Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai and O’Rielly.
Docket No.:  14-58, 10-90
-FCC-
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