NEWS

American Rescue Plan Funds to Increase access to affordable, high-speed internet have been awarded to Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Utah, taking the total number of states benefiting to 22, with 700,000 locations reached and nearly $3 billion awarded by the Capital Projects Fund (CPF)

The latest announcement by the U.S. Department of the Treasury approves broadband projects in the six states to connect around 180,000 homes and businesses to affordable, high-speed internet.

The Capital Projects Fund provides $10 billion to states, territories, freely associated states, and Tribal governments to fund critical capital projects that enable work, education, and health monitoring in response to the public health emergency. Many states supplement this investment with money from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to further assist in achieving the Biden-Harris Administration’s mission of connecting every American household to affordable, reliable high-speed internet.

In each case the awards fund projects to provide an internet service with speeds of 100/100 Mbps symmetrical to households and businesses.

The latest investments include:

$248 million in Florida, funding the Florida’s Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP) for infrastructure to connect 48,400 households and expand last mile broadband access to homes and businesses in rural areas of the state. This represents around 10% of locations still lacking high-speed internet access.

Georgia will get $250 million for broadband infrastructure, funding the Georgia Capital Projects Fund, connecting an estimated 70,000 households and businesses.

The Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Program will benefit from $152.2 million for broadband infrastructure, which the state estimates will connect 16% of locations still lacking high-speed internet access – around 18,972 households and businesses.

In Minnesota, two separate programmes will benefit from $44 million in funding.

• Minnesota’s Line Extension Program for individuals where the cost of the last mile connection is a barrier, despite being close to infrastructure for a high-quality broadband service.
• Low-Density Pilot Program, that provides investment for new and existing providers to build broadband infrastructure in low-density areas of the state that currently lack high-speed internet.

An estimated 37,979 households and businesses will be connected in Missouri, via a $196.7 million investment to fund the Missouri Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program, and about 5% of locations still lacking high-speed internet access in Utah will be connected via a $10 million award for the Broadband Infrastructure Gap Networks Grant Program (Gap Networks Grant Program).

With funding coming thick and fast there has never been a better time to explore how you can play your part in building a better Connected America. Join us on the 28-29 March 2023 at the Irving Convention Center, Dallas. Find out more at www.totaltele.com/connectedamerica

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