Developing a more diverse economy and creating more information-based jobs is critical. Grant recipients have pledged funds to match the states contributions, bringing the total investment for this round of broadband expansion awards to over $203 million. His office is mapping the have and have-not areas of broadband in the state and will likely be the office that funnels federal money coming to Texas into the places that qualify for it. And today is a key part of our plan to build a better Kentucky, as high-speed internet will be critical to the success of our states economy and to future job creation.. Pennyriles served communities will be connected to vital services that include remote access to education and health care. of Support for the BroadbandOhio Office: BroadbandOhio will implement our strategy for increasing high-speed internet access to underserved and unserved Ohioans across the state. What Is the African Development Bank (ADB)? At the Frankfort Plant Board, we have long discussed the critical need to provide citizens in our most outlying areas the vital link to internet access that will increase the quality of life, access to educational and employment opportunities and a connection to the world, Cubine said. The bad news is that its going to be at least a year before the state has made a real difference in getting broadband access to Texans who dont have it and lowering the price for people who cant afford internet service thats available to them. There are more than 100 federal programs administered by 15 different agencies, according to areportlast week from the Government Accountability Office. "Biden-Harris Administration Launches $45 Billion Internet for All Initiative to Bring Affordable, Reliable High-Speed Internet to Everyone in America. Sophomore Alexis Phan does her Algebra 2 schoolwork remotely from her home in Pflugerville in November 2020. Jacob Leibenluft, who oversees this program for the Treasury Department, said his agency has worked with others across the federal government to collaborate on data and programs to try to manage around the issue. Tri-County Electric received a grant for $900,000. U.S. Dept. This grant award means that more residents of Calloway and Marshall counties outside the current WK&T footprint are one step closer to having access to the fastest, most reliable internet technology available. The overall project cost is $1,800,000 including the required matching funds. A Comcast truck outside the Virginia Capitol. The digital divide refers to the gap between people who have access to modern information and communications technology and those who dont. April 15, 20225 AM Central. The overall project cost is $515,835 including the required matching funds. Some tweaks to make that money flow will probably come from the Legislature itself, which doesnt meet until January 2023. I am tremendously encouraged that the DeWine-Husted Administration and the Ohio General Assembly have cooperated to take such bold action to fund broadband in unserved and underserved areas through HB2. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes $550 billion in new funds to rebuild roads, bridges, water infrastructure, the internet, and more. But in order to succeed, we need a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approacheveryone who has a stake in our connected future should get involved now.. Collectively, they offer high-speed internet services to more than 80% of the U.S. and almost 50% of the country's rural population. Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. And the state is working to expand it but its going to be at least a year before Texans start to see results. The overall project cost is $3,305,064 including the required matching funds. The Lifeline Program Helps Low-Income Consumers Get Phone and Internet. Contact Editor Sarah Vogelsong for questions: info@virginiamercury.com. I am incredibly pleased to announce what I believe is the single largest provision of funding for high-speed internet in our commonwealths history, Gov. In announcing the initiative, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said, The resources in President Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will allow us to bring broadband infrastructure to every corner of our country, make service affordable for everyone, and ensure users have the devices and digital skills they need.

Qualifying households can receive a monthly benefit up to $30 per household. Establishing an office committed to increasing high-speed internet access across the state was an initial pillar of the Ohio Broadband Strategythat was released in December 2019. When tickets go on sale in May, Tribune members will save big. Underserved areas are those which have service, but at a speed less than the FCCs definition of high-speed internet at 25 megabits per second downstream and three megabits per second upstream. ", Internetforall.gov. Most of the money for expanding broadband in Texas will come from the federal government, and most of that a still undetermined amount is part of the federal infrastructure bill approved in November, after Texas legislators finished their regular and special sessions. Frankfort Plant Board Chair John Cubine, who attended todays announcement, cited the positive impact the funds will have on residents in Franklin County. Rural e-connectivity will once again put the U.S. at the top of the world's productivity by fostering economic development, job growth, rural entrepreneurship, and innovative technologies. The holes in the net left Texas, like other states, exposed during the pandemic, and the gaps were apparent even before COVID-19. If problem persists, call administrator. South Central Telecom received a grant for $1,885,000. The president and CEO of Pennyrile Electric Cooperative said the co-op is honored to be selected as a recipient of broadband funding. The pandemic exacerbated the problem, but also, in what can only be described as a silver lining, created the urgency to push Ohio onto the path of better connectivity. Access to high-speed internet is vital for a diverse set of industries, including agricultural production, manufacturing, mining, and forestry and acts as a catalyst for rural prosperity by enabling efficient, modern communications between rural American households, schools, and healthcare centers as well as markets and customers around the world. Rural students should have the same tools for digital homework and self-paced learning pursuits that urban kids enjoy. Reliable and affordable high-speed internet e-Connectivity, or electronic connectivity, is fundamental for economic activity throughout the US. This transformative project continues to move forward and is on schedule for completion during the first half of 2023., CEO of West Kentucky & Tennessee TelecommunicationsTrevor Bonnstetter said, WK&T has served parts of rural Calloway and Marshall counties since our founding members saw a need in rural areas that werent being met by the large telecom providers. In the state budget, and as outlined in the Executive Budget proposal, it is also imperative we address internet affordability in urban settings across the state particularly in Cleveland and surrounding communities., - Baiju Shah, President & CEO, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Appalachian Ohio has long suffered from socio-economic disadvantages that stem from an economy that did not adapt like the rest of Ohio. Ohios most recent mapping efforts demonstrates that many Ohioans, particularly in rural areas, face connectivity issues. The new cash-inflows create a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for states to connect nearly everyone to high speed internet. The USDA serves as an ex officio non-voting member and acts as a consultant and resource to the FCC as they manage this important mission for rural America. Come inside to our Social Lounge where the Seattle Freeze is just a myth and youll actually want to hang. These states are the first to receive grants because they were the first fully developed plans to come in, according to the Treasury Department. Just think of us as this new building thats been here forever. The May 9 negotiations between the White House and 20 major broadband providers resulting in improvements to the ACP are significant because those providers cover more than 80% of the US population. We sincerely thank all those who have made the grant possible and particularly Gov. 'Internet for All (IFA)' is a $45 billion initiative to provide affordable high-speed broadband internet access to all Americans by 2029. The overall project cost is $16,091,483 including the required matching funds. The Ohio Broadband Strategy is a comprehensive plan to expand broadband access across Ohio. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the state and build a fiber-to-the-home network for the communities we serve, Pennyrile Electric Cooperative President and CEO Alan Gates said. The idea that internet access is a luxury was already demolished before anybody ever heard of COVID-19. The Biden administration, which wants everyone in the U.S. to have affordable access to high-speed internet by 2029, announced May 13, 2022, a $45 billion 'Internet for All (IFA)' initiative to pay for it. The overall project cost is $3,710,000 including the required matching funds. This investment will expand access to high-speed internet to 5,598 currently unserved households and businesses located in Caldwell, Christian, Lyon, Todd and Trigg counties. Urban Texas often has broadband access that many residents cant afford a real problem when thats the only way to attend classes or go to work. 2022 Commonwealth of Kentucky. According to the Federal Communications Commission, unserved areas are those that do not have any high-speed internet access or only have access to service at speeds of at least 10 megabits per second downstream and 1 megabit per second upstream. The Biden administration has partnered with 20 broadband providers to improve its subsidized high-speed internet plans for low-income Americans. This historic investment, coupled with the internet speed test, access mapping and the KentuckyWired project, positions the commonwealth to move to the forefront of high-speed internet expansion nationwide. The $60 million State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program to help states and territories develop digital equity plans, The $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program to let states and territories fund five years worth of annual grants to support digital equity projects and the implementation of digital equity plans. The new federal advisory committee, formally called the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States, works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide the FCC with outside, expert advice on the needs and impact of telecommunications policy on the deployment of agricultural technology. This series of programs includes the following: The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which was finalized in Nov. 2022 as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law, provides a $30 per month subsidy to help eligible households partially offset the cost of high-speed broadband service. An Ohio.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the State of Ohio. But the pandemic and the demands of switching work, school and medicine from in-person to virtual experiences made it impossible for state officials to ignore. The Governors Better Kentucky Plan aims to help the commonwealth lead in the post-COVID economy by applying federal dollars to build new schools, deliver clean drinking water, expand access to broadband, build stronger communities, improve roads and bridges and expand electric vehicle infrastructure. Administration and implementation of the program will be the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Commerces National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). We need to increase access and establishing the office is a first step., Access to high-speed internet opens doors for people who have been left behind across Ohio, which is why our administration established the Ohio Broadband Strategy and why we are aggressively moving forward with its implementation. (ODOT) Statewide Broadband Report (2019), Marysville, Starlink Pilot Project (2020), Monroe County Telehealth Pilot Project (2021), Scioto County and Jackson County Pilot Project (2021), Investing in Ohio Initiative in Proposed Executive Quotes Understanding the Recent Infrastructure Legislation, Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites Initiative Definition, Biden's $145 Million Reentry Program To Help Formerly Incarcerated. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Rural communities need access to telemedicine opportunities and tools to fight the opioid epidemic. Texas has more rural schools than any other state, and big parts of rural Texas have spotty internet, if they have internet access at all. This investment will expand access to high-speed internet to 843 currently unserved households and businesses located in Calloway and Marshall counties. As part of the recent negotiations, each of the companies listed below promised to offer ACP-eligible families at least one high-speed plan for $30/month or less, with no additional fees and no data caps. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Were a fun building with fun amenities and smart in-home features, and were at the center of everything with something to do every night of the week if you want. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The overall project cost is $4,880,432 including the required matching funds. Of that sum, $10 billion is through the capital projects fund, which will provide resources directly to states. We found that enhancing digital agriculture technologies already in use today - and increasing producers usage to full-scale - could create at least $47 billion each year in additional gross benefit for the U.S. economy. Also, low-income Texans with access to broadband services that they cant afford can already tap another federal program that pays up to $30 per month for services. This technology improves the daily lives of our members by opening up a whole new world of opportunities in entertainment, health care, education and so much more., We are absolutely thrilled with the announcement regarding the approval of Tri-County Electrics broadband grant application, Tri-County Electric CEO Paul Thompson said. Whats in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act? ", Whitehouse.gov. These funds are dedicated to unserved areas in Kentucky. More, Better, and New Market Opportunities, announced the formation of a new task force, Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States, How e-connectivity creates value through digital transformation, The potential impact of Internet-connected agricultural technologies to the U.S. economy, What the agriculture ecosystem needs to unlock this value, Proposed strategies to make this potential a reality. This funding from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority will alleviate some of the significant financial burden associated with building a rural fiber-optic broadband network. We plan to begin work immediately and will soon communicate details of our buildout plan.. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. The subsidy is $75 per month on tribal lands. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. We know there are more than 300,000 households in Ohio without broadband access. The African Development Bank (ADB) is a financial institution that enables economic and social development throughout the continent. As part of the negotiated improvements, providers promised everything from boosted speeds for low-income plans to lower prices resulting, in some cases, in consumers being able to obtain access for free. I cant tell you what an impact that has on peoples lives. No more vacant rooftops and lifeless lounges not here in Capitol Hill. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Crystal Broadband Networks received a grant for $255,835. The oversight agency said it has led to a fragmented, overlapping patchwork of programs that should be synchronized. We applaud this bold, bipartisan broadband expansion effort and look forward to the opportunity to extend our ongoing partnership with Kentucky leaders including the Beshear administration, Kentucky Infrastructure Authority and state and local leaders who recognize the importance of rural connectivity to Kentuckys future, Area Vice President of Charter Communications Jerry Avery said. The DeWine-Husted Administration understands that access to fast, reliable internet services has become a standard of living increasingly necessary for gainful employment, integration into educational programs, and preparation for the kinds of careers we expect to exist in the future. I, along with our District B (Burkesville) Director, Bret Carver, am very excited for these families.. The program is one of a spate of new initiatives to try to make high-speed internet attainable for all Americans. to address the high costs of expanding service in parts of Ohio: Reliable high-speed internet is a necessity for all Ohio industries, including manufacturing. He has a bachelor's from Ohio University and Master's from Wright State University in music education. In 2018, USDA introduced the ReConnect Program, which has invested over $1 billion to date to expand high-speed broadband infrastructure in unserved rural areas and tribal lands.