The United States government's mission to provide internet access to every American family reached a milestone by announcing $930 million in awards to solve connection gaps in remote Alaska, rural Texas, and other disadvantaged areas.
The Department of Commerce announced "middle mile" incentives for retail broadband providers and their users. Regarding connecting towns, department officials compared the middle mile's function to that of the interstate highway system, according to Reuters.
During a Zoom conference with the media, the White House's infrastructure coordinator, Mitch Landrieu, said, "these networks are the workhorses carrying large amounts of data over very long distances."
The White House official underlined how these networks bridge the gap between extensive and last-mile connections, servicing tribal territories, underserved rural and distant areas, and vital institutions like hospitals, schools, libraries, and significant corporations.
The highest grant, at $89 million, was given to an Alaskan telecommunications firm to build fiber-optic networks where 55% of the population now lives without access to the internet. Other significant awards include $61 million for a Michigan telecom and $73 million for a California firm. The commitments made by the award applicants to build up their broadband networks must be completed within five years.
Bridging The Internet Gap
These subsidies are a portion of the $65 billion in financing from the $1 trillion infrastructure plan US President Joe Biden signed into law in 2021, intending to bridge the gap between rural areas and retail internet providers.
High-speed internet is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. That's why my Administration is investing in expanding access to affordable high-speed internet to close the digital divide.https://t.co/Mxd81tjeEg.
— President Biden (@POTUS) June 17, 2023
According to a news release from October, the Department of National Telecommunications and Information Administration has received over 235 applications for the program. The "Internet for All" grant, which will expand access to 350 counties, has officially begun, according to Gizmodo.
The government anticipates that these initiatives will improve safety in these regions and increase economic possibilities in historically neglected areas, per Engadget. According to Landrieu, the initiatives would provide several internet traffic pathways, like highway diversions, to enhance network resilience in the face of climate change and natural calamities like wildfires, floods, and storms.
