It wasn’t great news, but it wasn’t terrible, either.
Alabama ranks 24th in the country for the states with the best and worst Internet, according to Broadbandnow.com.
In keeping with her pledge to push for increased broadband access across the state, Gov. Kay Ivey, along with Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Director Kenneth Boswell, is now working to improve that ranking.
In fact, Ivey announced Tuesday that more than $400 million in federal funding and some $1.4 billion from the U.S. Department of Commerce Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) will be used to expand access to high-speed internet across Alabama. The governor also announced Be Linked Alabama, the name and hub representing the state’s continued efforts to expand access to high-speed internet.
“Providing broadband connectivity to every Alabamian, whether it be in our largest metros or most rural areas, has been a top priority of the Ivey Administration since day one,” said Ivey. “As we launch Be Linked Alabama today, we are furthering our commitment to fully connecting our state. Offering the ability to connect to high-speed internet in all 67 counties is a journey, not a short trip, but Alabama is certainly well positioned to finish this race in the near future.”
Ivey also announced the upcoming opening of grant applications for the $182 million from the Capital Projects Fund to support “last-mile” projects that provide the actual connections to homes, businesses and community anchor institutions. The application period is expected to open next week and close in October.
Additionally, the state’s new Anchor Institution/Middle Mile (AIMM) program will be funded with the second round of American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated during the 2023 Legislative Session.
More than $200 million will support this effort, which will potentially serve 500 anchor facilities – including institutions such as colleges and universities, rural hospitals and government facilities that are inadequately served, along with “middle-mile” deployment that will provide the infrastructure to help facilitate last-mile deployment by internet service providers. The application dates for AIMM program will be announced at a workshop Friday.
Boswell touted the progress, but said more is needed.
“We have a great team in Alabama that includes public officials such as our governor and members of the Legislature, private sector companies, citizens, local leaders and communities all joining together with a common goal – to give every Alabamian the ability to be connected,” he said. “Our state has already made tremendous progress on our journey to expand high-speed internet availability by providers, but we still have a long way to go. Be Linked Alabama represents the progress that we have made, and the continued progress still to come.”
The categories that the rankings were comprised from included broadband internet access, low-priced plan access, and average download speed. In Alabama, 89.8% of the state’s population has access to broadband internet, 46.3% have low-priced plan access, and average download speed of 80.7 Mbps. The rankings also noted the state has 166 internet providers.
The Be Linked Alabama website can be found on broadband.alabama.gov. It includes the Alabama Broadband Map, county profiles and dashboards and statewide broadband news.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
