Proposed $636M would bring broadband to N.Y.'s underserved

ALBANY | Gov. Hochul has announced that upon approval, approximately $391 million in proposed awards under the ConnectALL Deployment Program will be distributed to 11 internet service providers who have committed a total of more than $245 million in matching funds to address nearly 54,000 locations in the state. If approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) following a public comment process, these federal awards will achieve universal broadband connectivity by reaching every documented unserved and underserved location across New York State. Members of the public can submit comments on the planned awards through the ConnectALL Deployment Program website until 3:59 p.m. on Sept. 24. ConnectALL will host a webinar on September 18 to provide an overview of the draft Final Proposal and show members of the public how they can submit comments. Register here to attend. "In this day and age, internet access is no longer just a luxury — it is a necessity to connect individuals to everyday essentials from education to healthcare," Governor Hochul said. "Every community in New York State deserves to have access to the internet and it is time we uplift our underserved communities, providing them with more opportunities and resources." Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Closing the digital divide means opening doors for families, businesses, and entire communities. With the BEAD program, we will reach the final one percent of unserved households and ensure they are not left behind. Empire State Development is proud to advance Governor Hochul's vision through the ConnectALL initiative and to partner with NTIA in bringing this historic investment to every corner of New York." The proposed projects span every region of the state, from Long Island to Western New York, targeting the final one percent of locations that remain without broadband service or an enforceable commitment for service under another grant program. The awarded projects will deliver fiber optic infrastructure to approximately 31 percent of the eligible locations and fixed wireless service to approximately 44 percent. The grant awards will reserve satellite capacity for the remaining 25 percent of locations, with grant payments made based on subscription milestones. ConnectALL has provided additional detail, including a breakdown of awards by county, on its website. ConnectALL identified grantees through an open, competitive application using the scoring criteria and selection process prescribed by NTIA. These federal awards are subject to NTIA approval, with awards to serve locations on federally recognized tribal lands also subject to approval by those governments. The awards and award terms are subject to change as ConnectALL proceeds through the awards process. The funding for these awards comes from $664.6 million that Congress allocated to the State of New York in 2023 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD). The Law states that the remaining funds in the allocation can be used for broadband adoption, installing internet, or for providing reduced-cost broadband within multi-family residential buildings, among other purposes, pending future guidance from NTIA. The 11 awards total $391.1 million with a total match amount of $245 million. In the North Country, they include: $25,489,512 to IBT Group USA, LLC with a $4,272,763 match to serve 1,159 locations in Franklin and St. Lawrence county and the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation with fiber optic technology and 10,660 locations in nine counties (Chenango, Delaware, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego, and Schoharie) and the Oneida Indian Reservation using fixed wireless technology. $20,422,500 to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. with a $18,704,831 match to serve 13,615 locations in 37 counties (Albany, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Montgomery, Oneida, Orange, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tompkins, Warren, Washington, Westchester, and Wyoming) and three Tribal Reservations (Allegany Reservation, Oneida Indian Reservation, and St. Regis Mohawk Reservation) with low Earth orbit satellite technology. $64,500,823 to Verizon New York, Inc. with a $126,581,092 match to serve 4,017 locations in 13 counties (Albany, Clinton, Erie, Essex, Fulton, Montgomery, Oneida, Oswego, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Sullivan, Ulster, and Washington) and the Tonawanda Reservation with fiber optic technology. Sen. Charles Schumer said, "Today, we take a massive step forward in closing the digital divide in New York. I am proud to deliver hundreds of millions in federal funding from our Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to connect thousands of homes and small businesses from Putnam to Plattsburgh to reliable, fast internet access. This is a once-in-a-generation federal investment to build the 21st century infrastructure needed to connect families and communities to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and each other. When I led the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to passage, I insisted on including funding for long-term investments like this that would create good-paying jobs in every corner of the Empire State. Now, that vision is becoming a reality, and many thousands of New Yorkers will access reliable high-speed internet no matter their zip code." Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said, "High-speed internet is a necessity, not a luxury. I fought to secure this funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law so that every New Yorker, no matter their zip code, has access to reliable, affordable broadband. These investments will help close the digital divide and open new doors of opportunity across our state." Expanding New York's Digital Infrastructure Gov. Hochul has made expanding broadband access a cornerstone of her administration's efforts to create a more equitable New York. Through the ConnectALL initiative, New York State is investing more than $1 billion to transform the state's digital infrastructure, enhance competition among providers, and ensure that every New Yorker has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. To date, ConnectALL has overseen the successful launch and implementation of several programs to advance broadband access, including: The Municipal Infrastructure Program has awarded more than $242 million to support construction of open access municipal broadband networks across the state. The program, primarily funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the American Rescue Plan's Capital Projects fund, facilitates a variety of models of municipal broadband and public-private partnerships to provide New Yorkers with affordable, high-quality service options. The Beta ConnectALL Projects Dashboard provides details on projects funded by the Municipal Infrastructure Program. The Digital Equity Program will invest $50 million to implement the New York State Digital Equity Plan to close the digital divide. The Plan outlines New York's statewide strategy to increase its capacity to improve digital literacy and digital job readiness skills, facilitate access to affordable internet and devices, enhance digital privacy and safety, and make government services more accessible through the internet. The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program will bring new broadband infrastructure to homes in affordable and public housing leveraging a $100 million federal investment from the U.S. Treasury Department's Capital Projects Fund. The Beta ConnectALL Projects Dashboard provides details on projects funded by the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program.The ConnectALL Deployment Program will provide funding for internet service providers to reach unserved and underserved locations, drawing on an allocation of $644.6 million in federal funding as described in the ConnectALL Broadband Deployment Initial Proposal. The Requests for Applications for the Deployment Program ended in July, and ConnectALL is currently accepting public comment on its Final Proposal for these funds. The Connectivity Innovation Program advances innovation and new broadband solutions, business models, and technologies in order to increase private sector investment and entrepreneurship; drive equity and innovation in the broadband marketplace; and reinforce a thriving research, development, and manufacturing ecosystem to support connectivity innovation in New York. ConnectALL is reviewing applications to the Connectivity Innovation — Mobile Service RFA, which closed in June 2025. The Excelsior Broadband Network is a new statewide public broadband network. The first component of this project will be a new fiber line running the full length of the New York Thruway which will connect public broadband assets across the state and improve access to consistent high-speed internet and reliable cell phone service for communities across the state. The Mobile Service Connectivity initiative will work with local stakeholders, state agencies, and industry to develop regional plans to expand cellular coverage across the state. The program will identify top opportunities to expand coverage and provide funding to deploy innovative, scalable solutions that can address gaps in wireless cellular coverage.

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Proposed $636M would bring broadband to N.Y.'s underserved

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