FCC Expands Connect America Project Boosts Funding for New York State
By Monica Link December 20, 2013 9:00 am
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The Federal Communications Commission expanded its funding for the Connect America Project, including New York State among recipients. The project, aimed at increasing broadband outreach, is expanding the program to include more than 400,000 homes across 41 states. The funding for the extended broadband reach is $255 million.
Connect America fund has connected almost 1 million people in rural areas who otherwise would not be able to establish an Internet connection because the area is too remote and does not have enough service offerings.
New York State will be awarded nearly $9 million to provide more than 15,000 consumers with service upstate. New Jersey will receive about $6,000 to provide 11 additional homes with coverage during this phase of the Connect America project.
“Access to modern broadband networks is essential in the information age,” FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in a statement. “Yet 15 million Americans live in areas where they can’t get wire-line broadband no matter how much they want it. These funds will jump-start broadband access in areas that would otherwise be bypassed by the digital economy.”
Five different carriers will use the funds to provide the service in the new areas added to the program. Among the carriers are AT&T, CenturyLink, Fairpoint Communications, Frontier Communications and Windstream Corp.
