MONTGOMERY — A trio of north Alabama counties are among 23 in the state to share nearly $42 million for “last-mile” high-speed internet projects, Gov. Kay Ivey announced.
“Last-mile” projects are the final leg of high-speed internet installation between the internet service provider and the customer, whether it be family households, businesses or community anchor institutions like schools, fire stations, libraries and post offices.
Once installation is complete, the households, businesses and institutions have the option to connect to the network by becoming a customer of the internet service provider.
Awarded grants are Farmers Telecommunications Corp. and Spectrum Southeast.
The grant to Farmers Telecommunications is for $1.93 million to provide high-speed broadband access to 380 unserved households, businesses and community anchor institutions over a 44-mile area in Jackson County.
Spectrum Southeast received $4.43 million to provide high-speed internet accessibility to 662 unserved households, businesses and community anchor institutions in a 93-mile area in Colbert and Lauderdale counties.
“With these latest grants, Alabama takes another all-important step to supplying high-speed internet availability to more rural Alabama communities and neighborhoods,” said Ivey. “Upon completion of these projects, more children will have better learning opportunities, more businesses will have greater opportunities to compete worldwide, and emergency response departments and medical clinics will be able to offer improved services.”
In February, Ivey awarded $148.3 million in Capital Projects Fund grants for broadband accessibility in more than two-thirds of the state’s 67 counties. The grants awarded today are from the remaining funds.
The latest grants will cover 2,347 miles and provide broadband availability to more than 15,000 households, businesses and community anchor institutions in the state that currently do not have access to high-speed internet, according to Ivey’s office.
The Capital Projects Fund program is supported by the state’s share of the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. It is one of several sources of funds to expand high-speed internet services to Alabamians.
The Alabama Digital Expansion Division, which is part of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and was created by legislation signed by Ivey, has been instrumental in the state’s broadband expansion.
“Our state and so many partners are making continued progress in providing high-speed internet access to those unserved areas in Alabama,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “I remain honored in the trust that Governor Ivey and the Alabama Legislature have placed in ADECA in carrying out this mission that will truly change lives for the better.”
ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.
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