ADECA says Alabama broadband plans are nearly ready for approval
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) was tasked with expanding broadband in the state prior to the pandemic, but COVID-19 revealed the necessity for expanding high-speed internet and has brought federal funds and increased urgency. ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell told Alabama’s economic developers the state is ready to spend $85 million in America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to expand broadband in the state and is seeking nearly $200 million more in Alabama’s Capital Projects Fund for further expansion. Speaking at the Economic Development Association of Alabama’s 2022 Summer Conference, Boswell said Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey first sought to work broadband into ADECA’s mission in 2017. The Alabama Rural Broadband Coalition pushed for legislation in 2019. That legislation eventually passed, and Ivey signed it into law in July 2021. The ARPA funding was a response to the pandemic when quarantines exposed the need for connectivity for people working from home, doing distance learning for school, and needing telemedicine for health care. “(The pandemic) magnified how bad that we needed it,” Boswell said. “It’s quality of life, it’s health care, it’s education – in today’s world, broadband impacts and affects us in every way, shape, form, and fashion.” Boswell said there is a need for $4 billion to $6 billion to expand broadband in the state, but two plans are at least a start. Companies like C Spire, Point Broadband, and Tombigbee Communications have been working with Alabama Power and others to bridge the state’s digital divide since 2019. Boswell said systems with the infrastructure and networks have the main lines of access – known as the “first mile” – and local providers can connect homes and businesses with what is known as the “last mile.” The need is the “middle mile” between the two, and that is where ADECA plans to spend the $85 million in ARPA funds. “We have five applications in-house right now, and we hope to have those graded, and an announcement made hopefully in the next two weeks,” Boswell said. The other ADECA plan seeks to use funds from the state. “Our second process is the actual Capital Projects Fund with $191 million,” Boswell said. “We have the plan complete. We’re doing all of our checks and balances as we speak. We will submit that to (the Alabama Department of) Commerce. They have up to a year to actually approve the plan, but we’re hoping that because of our advancements with our plan program that we will actually get that done quicker, by hopefully six months.” Those expenditures are in addition to the billions more being spent by private companies helping to expand broadband throughout Alabama. Learn more about Alabama Power’s Economic and Community Development initiatives at AmazingAlabama.com. Republished with the permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
Expanded broadband access is the Alabama Rural Broadband Coalition’s mission
It’s a lot easier to stay home when you have internet; that’s how you survive. Without internet access, you can’t do your homework, can’t work and you can’t order from the grocery store online. Access to fast and reliable internet is something all Alabamians should enjoy, said state Sen. Clay Scofield of Cullman. “As this pandemic has made clear, high-speed broadband access in all corners of Alabama is truly a basic personal necessity in today’s society and could bring in an array of benefits related to education, telemedicine, economic development, and even agriculture,” Scofield said. The Alabama Rural Broadband Coalition (ARBC), formed in 2018, continues to work to expand internet service by offering proactive policy solutions to bring more voices to the conversation and resources to the table. ARBC added more than 30 new members in 2020, now involving more than 50 organizations from different industries working together. In the past three years, public and private partners have made important advances in the coalition efforts. How the Alabama Rural Broadband Coalition is elevating Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo. ARBC was instrumental in securing the passage of legislation to establish the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund to provide grants to expand access to high-speed internet. The fund has distributed nearly $20 million, connecting 25,000 Alabama households and community anchors. Additionally, ARBC worked with legislators and stakeholders on the Alabama Broadband Over Easements Act, which allows carriers to use electric providers’ existing infrastructure for high-speed internet. Six electric cooperatives are using or plan to use these policy solutions for broadband in 26 counties. Alabama Power is partnering with C Spire and Point Broadband to support their broadband offerings for customers in Jasper, Trussville, and Lake Martin. “From use in our homes or for e-learning or for video conferencing or remote works, to providing critical healthcare services like telemedicine to our rural hospitals and rural clinics, it has never been more apparent that internet for all is critical now and in the future,” said Dr. Lee Carter, general practitioner, Autaugaville. The ARBC is a member-led group of organizations from across the state focused on rural broadband expansion, ranging from agriculture and business to economic development, education, and health care. ARBC was formed with the assistance of the Energy Institute of Alabama. Learn more at alruralbroadband.com. Republished with the permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
