Governor Richard Michael DeWine: Announce New Broadband Expansion Projects

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced new broadband expansion projects that will make affordable, high-speed internet available to nearly 100,000 households in Ohio that currently don't have access to reliable internet connectivity.

This morning, the Broadband Expansion Authority authorized BroadbandOhio to award more than $232 million in grants to 11 internet service providers as part of the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program. The funding will be used to cover the “broadband funding gap” associated with 33 broadband expansion projects impacting 31 counties.

"High-speed internet is no longer a luxury - it’s a critical necessity for everything from school to work to healthcare,” said Governor DeWine. “We must end the digital divide in our state, and by giving our rural and unserved areas access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet, we will enhance economic growth in these communities and bring about new opportunities for residents.”

The 33 awards announced today will directly fund projects to bring affordable, high-speed internet access to more than 43,000 Ohio homes. As part of the grant process, several providers also committed to independently fund 71 other broadband expansion projects serving approximately 52,000 households and impacting 31 additional counties. 

In total, BroadbandOhio estimates that around 230,000 residents will have improved broadband availability thanks to the 104 new expansion projects.

“These awards will help our local private- and public-sector partners expand high-speed, affordable internet in areas of Ohio that are currently unserved or underserved,” Lt. Governor Jon Husted said. “You can’t be part of the modern economy, education system and health care system without access to broadband – it is a necessity. This effort will help connect hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who have been left behind until now.”

MORE: Grant Project Information

All projects will provide service access of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to residents in areas that do not have a provider that can supply service at this speed. The average construction time for the new broadband projects is two years, with some areas expected to receive improved internet access in only 12 months. 

“These partnerships will greatly expand internet access across the state and enhance the lives of tens of thousands of Ohioans,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. “These awards highlight our commitment to ensuring all Ohioans are able to participate in the 21st-century economy.”

MORE: List of Counties Impacted by Broadband Expansion Projects

The grants awarded today are a key component of the DeWine-Husted Administration’s comprehensive Broadband Strategy that aims bring high-speed internet throughout the state. Based on currently available information, 300,000 households in Ohio, representing approximately one million Ohioans, are estimated to lack access to broadband internet.

The Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program was established in House Bill 2, sponsored by former Rep. Rick Carfagna and Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville), and the grants were funded by the Ohio General Assembly as part of Ohio’s 2022-2023 operating budget. The program is also part of Governor DeWine's Ohio BUILDS Initiative, which focuses on supporting targeted solutions that impact quality of life, such as water infrastructure improvements, broadband expansion, brownfield redevelopment, the demolition of blighted buildings, and more.

Original source can be found here.