Biden Administration Invests $667 Million to Expand Rural Broadband Access by 2030
The Biden administration has announced a new investment of approximately $667 million in grants and loans to enhance broadband infrastructure in rural areas across the United States. The aim is to ensure that all Americans have access to reliable internet connections by 2030.
Mitch Landrieu, the White House’s infrastructure coordinator, emphasized the importance of this investment in bridging the digital divide. He stated, With this investment, we’re getting funding to communities in every corner of the country because we believe that no kid should have to sit in the back of a mama’s car in a McDonald’s parking lot in order to do homework.
The funding is part of the ReConnect program, spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In the latest round of funding, 37 projects were chosen to receive grants and loans. This comes after a previous announcement in April and June, where 37 more projects were awarded a total of $771.4 million.
The Biden administration is dedicated to ensuring that rural America experiences similar progress to the electrification of rural America in the past. By investing in broadband infrastructure, they aim to improve economic opportunities for farmers, enable remote medical diagnosis and treatment through telemedicine, and enhance academic offerings for students, including the availability of Advanced Placement courses.
The Ponderosa Telephone Co. in California received the largest award of over $42 million to deploy fiber networks in Fresno County. This investment will benefit over 1,200 individuals, 12 farms, and 26 other businesses.
The recipients of the new funding are telephone cooperatives, counties, and telecommunications companies based in 22 states and the Marshall Islands. At least half of the households in these areas currently lack access to internet speeds of 100 megabits per second download and 20 Mbps upload, which are considered underserved according to the federal government. The recipients’ mandate is to build networks that raise these speeds to at least 100 Mbps for both upload and download, ensuring that every household, business, and farm in their service areas can benefit from high-speed internet connectivity.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack expressed his excitement about the administration’s commitment to investing in rural America. He believes that this will create new opportunities, improve healthcare accessibility, and expand educational resources for those residing in rural communities.
This significant investment in rural broadband infrastructure is a step forward in addressing the digital divide and ensuring that all Americans have equal access to the benefits of the internet. By bringing reliable high-speed internet connections to underserved areas, the Biden administration is working towards its goal of internet-for-all by 2030.
