Pennsylvania considers $800M grant to narrow state's 'digital divide'

Members of the public have this week to submit comments to the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority on nearly $800 million in federal grants provisionally approved to expand high-speed internet access across the state.

The $793.4 million in grants, funded by the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, is intended to connect all remaining locations in Pennsylvania that lack high-speed internet.

The provisional selections were announced by Brandon Carson, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority, and are a step toward securing the $1.16 billion in federal funding allocated to the state.

The final proposal, which includes the grant selections, will be submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration by Sept. 4. The NTIA is expected to approve the funds by the end of the year.

A seven-day public comment period on the provisional selections began Friday and will conclude at 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 29.

The grants will fund projects using various technologies, including fiber, fixed wireless, and low-Earth orbit satellite. The projects require a minimum 25% share of the total project cost in matching funds.

Carson emphasized the importance of public input in the process.

“Reliable, high-speed internet is essential for education, health care, and economic opportunity,” Carson said. “By posting the proposal for public comment, we’re engaging Pennsylvanians directly in our effort to close the digital divide.”

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program was established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

In addition to the BEAD program, the state has awarded other grants for broadband expansion, including $45 million for community facilities and $204.1 million for projects to serve over 100,000 residents. An additional $20 million was awarded to provide technology devices such as laptops to organizations for distribution.