The State of Idaho has offered funding to telecommunication companies to introduce high-speed Internet in its several counties and enhance connectivity.
Here are the details of the news.
Idaho Formally Announces $120M in Broadband Funding
Last week, Idaho state announced grants to several broadband providers and counties to provide high-speed Internet in many locations.
According to the announcement, Idaho awarded $120 million in funding to 15 organizations through the Idaho Capital Projects Fund (CPF) program that was created to help states invest in infrastructure projects. The funding program will be administered by the Idaho Broadband Advisory Board (IBAB).
In an official announcement, Idaho Broadband Program Manager Ramon Hobdey-Sanchez said, “These grants are the culmination of months working together and engaging stakeholders, local communities, and internet providers all across the State.
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I couldn’t be prouder of the hard work and dedication my colleagues exemplified throughout this entire grant process and the impact they have all had on improving internet access for Idahoans.”
The funds were awarded to 7 counties and many broadband providers. The awardee counties include Idaho, Lincoln, Camas, Latah, Gooding, Madison, and Jerome. Out of these, four counties were awarded a total of $10 million.
Amongst the service providers, Intermax, a fibre-internet service company founded in 2001 is awarded the highest grant of $13.8 million.
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Ziply Fiber, a subsidiary of WaveDivision Capital, founded in 2020, is the second broadband provider that has received the largest funding. It won a $11.3 million grant for two counties.
The broadband provider that has been awarded the third-highest grant is Comcast, one of the oldest telecommunications companies in America. It received a grant of $9.9 million.
Other large broadband providers that won funding in Idaho include two other old telecom companies, Custer Telephone Cooperative and MiFiber. Besides, many local service providers have been granted funds to deploy reliable services in the State.
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The grants will be used to provide high-speed Internet in 30,000 eligible locations, which will be identified based on the availability of Internet speed.
Eligible areas must lack service at speeds of 100/20 Mbps. The service providers that have won the funding are expected to bring an internet speed of at least 100 Mbps to their service locations.
In another statement, Idaho Broadband Advisory Board Chair John Vander Woude said, “These awarded projects are another important step in furthering the Idaho Broadband Advisory Board’s mission of ensuring that all Idahoans have access to affordable and reliable internet.”
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Idaho’s funding is a significant step in expanding reliable Internet. Through the grants, several underserved and unserved locations of the State would receive affordable Internet services.
The development would also increase competition among numerous local service providers, encouraging them to perform better in connecting people to avail of the grants in the future.
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