Biden’s Major Announcement on 2021 Broadband Funding! Find Out the State Breakdown for affordable, reliable, high-speed internet by 2030:
The Biden administration will announce on Monday how much money each state will receive from a $42.5 billion fund established by 2021 legislation to expand high-speed internet access. The money is intended to provide internet access to remote and rural areas, and it will be distributed over the next two years.
The White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients stated on a call with reporters on Friday that the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, part of $65 billion provided for internet access by the 2021 law, will “finally close the digital divide.” Zients noted that internet access is not a luxury but a necessity in daily life, particularly for remote and rural areas.
Each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico will receive a minimum of $100 million, and four territories will get at least $25 million. Ten percent of the $42.5 billion will be set aside for “high-cost allocations,” referring to remote or topographically challenging areas where the cost of broadband access is above the average. The rest of the funding will be allocated proportionally based on the number of communities without internet access in each state, according to a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) map released in May that shows approximately 8.5 million unserved broadband serviceable locations across the U.S. This still leaves about 7 percent of the U.S. without internet access, according to administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo will be promoting the effort on Monday.
Zients also addressed the House Republican majority’s criticism of the funding. He stated that they are attempting to cut critical funding “across the board” that would “just make middle-class lives easier.” Zients argues that this funding will make a real difference in people’s lives and that the Biden administration has a historic opportunity to deliver on that potential.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which oversees the funding, will use the FCC map to allocate funding. States will have until December to submit initial proposals to the NTIA, and the agency will approve and allocate 20% by the spring of 2024. Final plans are due in the spring of 2025, and the NTIA will provide 80% of the funds by the summer of 2025.
The BEAD program is part of the administration’s goal to connect all Americans to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet by 2030. Officials added that they are confident they will meet this goal and further touted the funding for advancing a broader administration initiative to build up the middle class.
In Short: The Biden administration has announced the allocation of funds from a $42.5 billion broadband expansion program, established by 2021 legislation, to enhance high-speed internet access across the United States. The initiative aims to address the digital divide, particularly in remote and rural areas. President Joe Biden emphasized the significance of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, which is part of a $65 billion funding provision for internet access under the 2021 law. Each state, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will receive a minimum of $100 million, with an additional allocation of at least $25 million for four territories. A portion of the funds will be reserved for high-cost areas where broadband access is more challenging due to geographical factors. The remaining funding will be distributed based on the number of unserved communities in each state, as determined by a Federal Communications Commission map. The administration aims to close the digital divide and ensure that affordable and reliable high-speed internet is accessible to all Americans by 2030, ultimately bolstering the middle class.