Regulator boosts rural broadband

The Federal Communications Commission on Monday, authorised more than $240million in funding over 10 years to expand rural broadband deployment in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.
 
These investments will connect more than100,000 unserved rural homes and businesses in these states. Broadband providers will begin receiving funding later this month.
  
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, said: “Today’s announcement is another important step in our efforts to close the digital divide and connect rural Americans with the economic, healthcare, and educational opportunities made possible by high-speed broadband.
  
“Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to see first-hand how funding provided through the FCC’s Connect America Fund Phase II auction is having a positive impact on the Wind River Indian Reservation in rural Wyoming. And the funding we are authorising today will bring those same benefits and connect more rural Americans with digital opportunity.”
 
This represents the ninth wave of support from the successful 2018 Connect America Fund Phase II auction. Providers must build out to 40 per cent of the assigned homes and businesses in the areas won in a state within three years. Build-out must increase by 20 per cent in each subsequent year, until complete build-out is reached at the end of the sixth year.