MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday announced nearly $460 million worth of investment in expanding access to high-speed internet, particularly in rural parts of Alabama.
A total of 63 different projects will be supported by the grants which will bring another 92,000 currently unserved locations online, the governor’s office said.
The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program is a federal initiative run by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Ivey said the state’s final BEAD proposal has been approved.
“This approval marks an important step forward in our work to close the digital divide in Alabama,” Ivey said in a press release. “Reliable high-speed internet is essential for economic growth, education, healthcare and everyday life. I am proud of the collaboration between our state leaders, ADECA, local communities and providers that made this plan possible. With this progress, we are ensuring that families and businesses across Alabama will have the connectivity they need to thrive in the modern economy.”
ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said his agency has been working to finish the job on broadband expansion in this last year of Ivey’s final term in office.
“Under Governor Ivey’s leadership, our goal has always been clear – deliver reliable, high-speed internet to every eligible location in Alabama in the most responsible and cost-effective way possible. This plan and these projects position our state to do exactly that while ensuring these investments will support Alabama’s communities, businesses and families for generations to come.”
Interestingly, what started as a broadband-only initiative has grown to include low-Earth orbit satellite internet providers, namely Starlink. According to the governor’s office, 71% of the projects will use fiber technology, 24% satellite and 5% will use hybrid fiber-coaxial technology.
See the full list of grants provided by the governor’s office.
AMAZON – $8.83 million total
- Statewide –$8.83 million to provide access to high-speed internet service to 14,728 locations throughout the state.
ARDMORE TELEPHONE COMPANY – $2.63 million total
- Lowndes County – $2.63 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 251 locations.
AT&T – $72.96 million total
- Autauga County – $2.62 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 366 locations.
- Bibb County – $1.54 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 154 locations.
- Clarke County – $7.79 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 779 locations.
- Cullman County – $3.67 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 368 locations.
- Dallas County – $14.45 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,487 locations.
- Jefferson County – $9.27 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,542 locations.
- Lee County – $9.93 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,132 locations.
- Montgomery County – $4.48 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 862 locations.
- Morgan County – $194,503 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 105 locations.
- Russell County – $1.12 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 639 locations.
- Shelby County – $8.17 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 817 locations.
- Talladega County – $4.68 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 468 locations.
- Walker County – $5.05 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 505 locations.
BRIGHTSPEED – $14.31 million total
- Butler County – $1.73 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 707 locations.
- Coffee County – $2.07 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 349 locations.
- Crenshaw County – $3.71 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 466 locations.
- Geneva County – $2.54 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 396 locations.
- Henry County – $1.87 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 680 locations.
- Pickens County – $2.39 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,804 locations.
COMCAST – $132.36 million total
- Calhoun County – $10.30 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,231 locations.
- Colbert County – $7.71 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,042 locations.
- Etowah County – $11.61 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,194 locations.
- Houston County – $14.29 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 2,585 locations.
- Lauderdale County – $8.83 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,190 locations.
- Mobile County – $30.60 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 5,295 locations.
- St. Clair County – $16.61 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 2,172 locations.
- Tuscaloosa County – $32.41 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 3,389 locations.
FARMERS TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP. – $4.23 million total
- DeKalb County – $2.60 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 322 locations.
- Marshall County – $1.63 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 273 locations.
MILLRY TELEPHONE CO. – $9.45 million total
- Washington County – $9.45 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,117 locations.
MSTREET FIBER ALABAMA – $24.21 million total
- Greene County – $2.69 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 384 locations.
- Hale County – $6.37 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 872 locations.
- Marengo County – $3.75 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 511 locations.
- Perry County – $4.79 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,167 locations.
- Sumter County – $6.61 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 886 locations.
POINT BROADBAND – $1.82 million total
- Clay County – $1.82 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,176 locations.
PREMIER BROADBAND – $46.35 million total
- Chilton County – $19.91 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 2,006 locations.
- Cleburne County – $20.55 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 2,066 locations.
- Lawrence County – $5.89 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 658 locations.
SP BROADBAND – $57.6 million total
- Conecuh County – $22.81 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 3,149 locations.
- Escambia County – $10.84 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,383 locations.
- Monroe County – $23.95 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 3,395 locations.
SPACEX – $7.85 million total
- Statewide – $3.91 million to provide high-speed internet service to 3,461 locations in different parts of the state.
- Bullock County – $41,250 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 48 locations.
- Chambers County – $306,000 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 378 locations.
- Choctaw County – $138,750 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 160 locations.
- Covington County – $317,250 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 406 locations.
- Jackson County – $251,250 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 260 locations.
- Pike County – $498,000 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 431 locations.
- Tallapoosa County – $761,250 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 848 locations.
- Wilcox County – $1.47 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,534 locations.
- Winston County – $198,000 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 245 locations.
SPECTRUM SOUTHEAST – $16.61 million
- Blount County – $6.51 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,271 locations.
- Cherokee County – $606,229 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 142 locations.
- Dale County – $9.50 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,093 locations.
WINDSTREAM ALABAMA – $17.86 million total
- Barbour County – $6.19 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 864 locations.
- Coosa County – $2.89 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 514 locations.
- Elmore County – $5.07 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 865 locations.
- Macon County – $3.71 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 531 locations.
ZITEL – $41.87 million
- Baldwin County – $29.83 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 9,984 locations.
- Randolph County – $12.04 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 4,538 locations.