Broadband

The federal government has announced that Washington state will get more than $1.2 billion to expand Internet access. But how big of an impact will the money actually make for residents?

The state is set to receive more than $196.5 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration as part of the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.

Washington state will get more than $1.2 billion from the federal government to deliver high-speed Internet to communities with slow, unreliable or nonexistent service, the Biden administration announced Monday.

Kansas and Missouri will collectively receive more than $2.1 billion in federal funding to expand broadband Internet under the infrastructure law passed by Congress in 2021 and signed by President Joe Biden.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced a $1.16 billion allocation to the state to close the digital divide. Not everyone is convinced it’s enough to bridge the gap.  

The ENMR Telephone Cooperative is set to receive $49.5 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to expand high-speed Internet in eastern parts of New Mexico.

Three Los Angeles departments recently announced a joint plan to tackle the digital divide with a focus on IT upskilling, digital literacy through library technology and remote digital accessibility utilizing the public park system.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced a more than $14.5 million investment to expand broadband access across the north country region.

AT&T recently awarded a $100,000 grant to the local Westside Future Fund as part of AT&T’s $2 billion commitment to increase Internet accessibility and affordability in underserved communities.

Legislation authored by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., will see $43.5 million in federal funding sent to the state. The money will fund the Internet expansion to schools, libraries, community centers, and government offices.

After a subsea fiber-optic cable was severed last weekend, residents and businesses in several Northwest Alaska and North Slope communities have turned to satellite Internet or cash-only transactions to get by.

The company announced this week plans to expand 5G technology in the Parkston, Aberdeen and Pine Ridge areas. The upgrades also include improvements in the Three Forks region of the Black Hills.

These changes, required by the passage of new legislation, will expand the areas eligible to receive broadband infrastructure grants and will provide flexibility to ensure taxpayer dollars will benefit more Texans.

Federal officials announced expedited measures to reach the 28 million U.S. households without high-speed Internet service. Money from the new Infrastructure Law will be available to families and Pell Grant recipients.

Residents of several Alaska communities have been experiencing Internet and cell service interruptions this week after a subsea fiber-optic network cable was cut. The cut might take up to two months to repair.

San Diego adopted a new $2 billion budget Monday that increases spending on homelessness efforts, lifeguards, litter removal and improving Internet access in low-income areas.

Pennsylvania's share of the $42.45 billion federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funds will be less than before the state took up challenges, according to new data compiled by a policy analyst.

The state and local organizations have been pushing to close the Internet service gaps – ahead of a looming federal deadline – through partnerships with nonprofits capable of providing high-speed connections.