Wondering if this lawsuit has or will potentially affect any other NANOG operators?
My understanding is that anyone that was counting (planning) on this infrastructure in rural Florida for middle-mile or long-haul transport should now seek alternative options? -HM/DAK On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 9:52 PM, FierceTelecom wrote: > > Rapid Systems Seeks $25 Million From FRBA With Lawsuit Filing > > Tampa, Florida based Rapid Systems, Inc. announced April 19 it filed a $25 > Million suit against the Florida Rural Broadband Alliance (FRBA) along with > several co-defendants. > > Rapid Systems is a wireless broadband Internet service provider that > entered an agreement with FRBA and others to provide broadband network > support for a project developed with Broadband Opportunities Grants awarded > in Florida as part of a government economic stimulus program. The grant > totaled $23 Million. Rapid Systems allege in the complaint that after > providing the agreed services, equipment and in-kind contributions totaling > $2 Million, the FRBA and several co-defendants failed to pay Rapid Systems > for any of the services or expenses rendered under the agreement. Rapid > Systems is seeking to recover not only its own investment but also fees, > costs and lost revenue as a result of FRBA's actions. > > The grant money FRBA received is intended to develop the infrastructure > needed for wireless Internet service in rural Florida counties. The program > is intended to bridge the gap between large public service providers and > small and often poor rural communities without the economic impact to > attract private investment for wireless broadband connectivity networks. > > A similar program was already funded as the North Florida Broadband > Authority and has seen similar litigation and various towns and counties > pulling out of the program. After three years and over $28 Million federal > dollars invested in the NFBA, there are a confirmed 60 customers using the > services. Both the NFBA and RFBA are currently under federal investigation. > Questions of mismanagement, fraud, misinformation and misappropriating > funds have dogged the grant recipients almost since their inception early > in the Obama administration’s economic recovery efforts. > > Rapid Systems has also included some public official in its complaint > alleging a coordinated effort with the FRBA to defame the plaintiff in an > effort to justify not paying the outstanding balances. The lawsuit filed in > Hardee County Circuit Court details a complicated “fraud scheme” > perpetrated by FRBA’s management to keep from paying out various invoices > and accounts. Rapid Systems has told the court all contracted work was > performed to agreed standards and payment is now due. > > There was no immediate word from the court or federal authorities if the > Rapid Systems suit will, in any way, affect the ongoing investigation into > the FRBA or NFBA. Also, federal authorities have offered no confirmed time > frame for completing their investigation. Whether the federal investigation > could impact Rapid Systems and their alleged claims remains unclear. > > Source Lawsuit: > http://cdn.l2net.com/dl/BTOP_NTIA_FRBA_Lawsuit_KraigBeahnCopy_FSReduced.pdf > > FierceTelecom: > http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/florida-provider-rapid-systems-inc-sues-frba-25-million-alleging-fraud-misc/2013-04-25 > > >
