In her hometown of Camden, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday announced more than $188 million for the expansion of high-speed internet across the state.
The grants were awarded to 12 internet service providers for more than 4,000 miles of “middle-mile” projects throughout Alabama. Those projects help make it more economically feasible for providers to extend services to unserved businesses and households.
Wilcox County, where the governor made the announcement, is one county where middle-mile projects will be completed.
“Rural Alabama, like so many other places in the state, is in need of increased access to high-speed internet, and today we are taking a significant stride in our journey toward full broadband access,” Ivey said. “These middle-mile projects will be extremely beneficial to our anchor institutions, and it puts us in a desirable situation where the ‘last-mile’ projects that will supply broadband service to businesses and households are more economical and attainable.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs will administer the program through its Alabama Digital Expansion Division.
“ADECA is pleased to be involved in this broadband-expansion effort that will benefit so many people and improve lives,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “I am grateful to Gov. Ivey and the Alabama Legislature for having the confidence to entrust ADECA with this all-important program.”
Entities awarded grants were the Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, Coosa Valley Technologies, Cullman Electric Cooperative, Farmers Telecommunications Corp., Alabama Fiber Network, JMF Solutions, Point Broadband, Spectrum Southeast, Tombigbee Electric Cooperative, Uniti Fiber and Yellowhammer Networks.
