Pennsylvania to receive more than $20M in federal funding for broadband

The Rural Broadband Infrastructure Expansion in the Alleghenies project will receive more than $20 million to expand broadband and access to high-speed internet in the Southern Alleghenies region.

This funding is in addition to $42.5 billion the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will provide states through the federal Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment Program.

“The pandemic has shown us how vital strong and reliable high-speed internet access is for families across the nation,” U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) said. “I was a proud supporter of this project, which will help connect thousands of families in rural Pennsylvania so kids can do their homework, families can stay in touch, and businesses can expand their markets. This is just the start of the hundreds of millions of dollars coming to the commonwealth thanks to the infrastructure law to better connect Pennsylvanians to the world.”

The Rural Broadband Infrastructure Expansion in the Alleghenies will deploy last-mile fixed wireless service, the final stretch of an internet connection leading to a home or business, to Bedford, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, and Mifflin counties.

Last-mile fixed wireless internet allows users to receive high-speed internet via a fixed hub that beams the internet signal directly to an antenna without a cable or phone line.

The project is being led by Alleghenies Broadband, Crowsnest Broadband Upward Broadband, and Huntingdon County in partnership with Fulton and Bedford counties.