The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released more than $137.2 million in Connect America funds over the next decade to expand broadband to unserved rural homes and businesses in 17 states.
The funding was awarded through last year’s Connect America Fund Phase II auction and has now been authorized. Providers are expected to begin receiving funding later this month.
Last year’s auction allocated $1.488 billion to expand broadband to more than 700,000 unserved rural homes and small businesses over the next decade.
The newly announced funding includes nearly $16.2 million in federal funding over the next decade to expand broadband to 8,088 unserved rural New York homes and businesses, the second round of matching funds being provided in a partnership with the state’s New NY Broadband Program. Providers will begin receiving funding this month.
“As we continue to authorize funds to expand broadband in rural America, I am excited to see the benefits for rural residents who live all across the country, from Tribal lands in Wyoming to mountain communities in Appalachia, from the Great Plains to the Pacific Northwest, and from the Texas Panhandle to northern Minnesota,” said FCC chairman Ajit Pai, in a prepared statement about the funding from the Connect America Fund Phase II auction. “This round of funding is yet another step toward closing the digital divide, providing access to a digital opportunity to over 36,000 more unserved rural homes and businesses.”
Approved funding applications include:
- Northern Arapaho Tribal Industries, which is owned by the Northern Arapaho Tribe, is receiving $4.1 million to deploy service to 849 homes and businesses on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, all of which will get access to service delivering Gigabit speeds
- Tri-Co Connections is receiving $32.3 million to deploy Gigabit service to over 7,015 homes and businesses in rural Pennsylvania over its fiber network
- Midcontinent Communications is receiving $39 million to deploy service to 9,371 homes and businesses in rural Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, all of which will get service delivering speeds of at least 100 Mbps downstream/20 Mbps upstream
- Citynet West Virginia will receive $6.5 million over the next decade to deliver Gigabit service over its fiber network to 898 homes and businesses in rural West Virginia.thanks
- Armstrong Telecommunications Inc. will receive $12,821,813 over the next decade to expand broadband to 6,709 rural homes and businesses at downstream speeds of at least 100 Mbps second and upstream speeds of 20 Mbps
- DTC Cable Inc. will receive $2,103,935 over the next decade to expand broadband to 712 rural homes and businesses at downstream speeds of at least 100 Mbps and upstream speeds of 20 Mbps
- Haefele TV Inc. will receive $1,257,581 over the next decade to expand broadband to 667 rural homes and businesses at downstream speeds of at least 100 Mbps and upstream speeds of 20 Mbps.
Image courtesy of flickr user Sean MacEntee.
