Wireless broadband connectivity provider 01 Data Center has applied for federal funding to finance a project to supply healthcare facilities in "un-served" areas across the U.S. with broadband access. The firm is hoping to fund a portion of the project by a federal grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The act set aside $7.2 billion for investments into development of the country's broadband network infrastructure.

Many healthcare facilities in rural areas of the nation are not connected to each other or to larger medical centers, according to a 01 statement. The company's network (which combines a terrestrial service with satellite middle-mile connectivity) would provide broadband access in areas that do not have sufficient fiber infrastructure. Besides sharing information and accessing the Internet, rural healthcare facilities that plan to digitize their records will be able to leverage the wireless network for remote information back-up.

"We start at 250 hospitals in un-served areas and we're looking for more," 01 spokesman Timothy Wahba said, referring to 250 healthcare facilities already interested in the company's services. "They're cut off from the backbone of the Internet and they're obviously cut off from each other."

The company will provide most of its services out of a data center it is building in Oxford, Conn. 01 is retrofitting a 20,000-square-foot building it has leased from broadcasting and broadband service provider AlphaStar. In addition to redundant fiber-backbone connectivity, the facility - originally built for TV broadcasting - will feature satellite network connectivity, which 01 leases from multiple providers, Wahba said.

Besides applying for government grants, the company is working with private investors. "We intend to launch the data center with or without the government moneys," Wahba said, adding that 01 plans to start looking for customers by November, 2009. The facility will be used to provide managed services as well as colocation.