New York left out of broadband grants

Posted 1/22/20

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In 2015, Verizon Wireless decided not to accept $170 million in Connect America Fund (CAF) dollars to help expand broadband in the state. But instead of giving the funding to …

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New York left out of broadband grants

Posted

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In 2015, Verizon Wireless decided not to accept $170 million in Connect America Fund (CAF) dollars to help expand broadband in the state. But instead of giving the funding to another state, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allowed New York State to use the money as part of an existing state broadband initiative.

Now, because of that decision, the FCC has decided that New York State internet providers will not be eligible for any of the $16 billion Phase I Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) that will soon be granted to providers in every other state except Alasak.

The situation prompted Rep. Antonio Delgado and 22 other members of the New York House delegation to write to the FCC and demand the commission reverse the decision.

Their members wrote, “As members of New York State’s Congressional delegation, we are deeply disappointed by your recent decision to make all of New York State ineligible for Phase I Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) awards. Phase I funding represents that vast majority all RDOF funds, or $16 billion out of the program’s total $20.4 billion, to support the deployment of high-speed broadband to areas lacking access to service from a fixed provider at the FCC’s minimum speeds of 25/3 Megabits per second (Mbps). This funding is designated to build broadband infrastructure in census blocks not currently served with internet speeds meeting the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) standards, and this decision will no doubt increase the digital divide, hinder economic growth and opportunity, and stall quality-of-life improvements for residents in our state, particularly those living in rural communities.”

The letter goes on to say “there are still areas of New York State meeting the FCC’s stated eligibility requirement for RDOF insofar as they lack access to broadband from a fixed provider at speeds of at least 25/3 Mbps. We urgently request that these communities be considered eligible areas for the purposes of Phase 1. It is our understanding that Phase II is not set to begin for several years, making it even more important that 100 percent un-served blocks in New York State are made eligible for Phase I funding. RDOF was established to bring communities across the country into the modern technological age, and you have described the program as the ‘boldest step yet’ to bridge the digital divide. We ask that you reply before the Commission proceeds with a vote on the RDOF rollout on January 30.”

high speed internet, broadband, rural

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