Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2022 Virginia Business Political Roundtable
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Power Up Virginia 500
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2023

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • Issues
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • Issues Archive
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2022 Virginia Business Political Roundtable
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Power Up Virginia 500
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2023

Home News Va. allocates $30M to improve broadband access

Va. allocates $30M to improve broadband access

Localities must pitch project ideas, apply for funding

Published October 7, 2020 by Sydney Lake

Virginia is making $30 million in federal CARES Act funding to improve broadband access in underserved localities.

Eligible projects must be completed by the end of the year, which is within the time constraints for spending the federal funding. This would mean more Virginians could get access to high-speed, broadband service before 2020 ends, according to Northam’s statement. The program launches Oct. 9, and only localities are eligible to apply for funding. 

“Broadband is to today’s economy like electricity was generations ago — when you have it, you can get ahead,” Northam said in a statement. “High-speed internet is essential for students to connect to education, business to connect to the wider world and citizens to connect to work. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this even more clear, as so much of our lives have moved to virtual platforms.”

Examples of eligible projects include:

  • Broadband infrastructure capable of delivering a minimum of 25Mbps/3Mbps to Virginians currently unserved, with limited overbuilding of existing infrastructure.
  • Broadband service connection costs for passings or property with high cost for individual connections, no greater than $10,000 per connection. Examples of such connections are for passings with long driveways, on a private road, or that have costs associated with a rail or highway crossing.
  • Cellular transmission equipment for parts of the commonwealth without cell service. 

The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia estimates that 200,000 K-12 students and 60,000 college students in Virginia do not have access to broadband at home. 

“Broadband access is a matter of equity, as the pandemic and the rise in virtual meetings and classes demonstrate,” Del. Roslyn Tyler (D-Brunswick), vice chairwoman of the Broadband Advisory Council, said in a statement. “Getting broadband access to rural and urban Virginia helps to ensure that everyone in Virginia moving forward together, and I applaud the governor for devoting CARES Act funding to this critical priority.” 

Northam’s current budget proposals include $85 million in investments for broadband infrastructure, which align with his platform for universal broadband access. The CARES Act funding is separate from other broadband funding streams.

“Any part of Virginia without broadband risks being left behind in our increasingly digital world,” Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon), chairwoman of the Broadband Advisory Council, said in a statement. “This initiative will speed up the work of connecting every corner of Virginia, so that everyone has access to opportunity.”

 

Subscribe to Virginia Business.

Get our daily e-newsletter.

Related Stories

Virginia Business logo

State announces $18.3M in broadband grants

The grants are expected to connect about 36,000 households, mainly in rural areas.

Virginia Business logo

$2.48M in state research grants awarded to tech firms, universities

Grants will be used to commercialize projects ranging from cybersecurity to life sciences

Virginia Business logo

Center for Innovative Technology names president, CEO

Former state Secretary of Commerce and Trade Bob Stolle to replace Ed Albrigo

Trending

Dollar Tree CEO resigning; former Dollar General CEO to replace him

Rivers Casino Portsmouth opens to big crowds

Va. bill aims to reduce mental health stigma for health care workers

Framatome CEO retiring; CFO to be promoted

Former EAB buildings in Henrico sell for $5.35M

Sponsored Stories

In the New Year, Aim for Better Cybersecurity

4 innovative ways to create capacity

WHERE IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHEN YOU NEED IT?

P.A.I.N.T. Your Financial Mountain

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Blazing trails in the digital landscape

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

Dollar Tree CEO resigning; former Dollar General CEO to replace him

Rivers Casino Portsmouth opens to big crowds

Va. bill aims to reduce mental health stigma for health care workers

Framatome CEO retiring; CFO to be promoted

Former EAB buildings in Henrico sell for $5.35M

Sponsored Stories

In the New Year, Aim for Better Cybersecurity

4 innovative ways to create capacity

WHERE IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHEN YOU NEED IT?

P.A.I.N.T. Your Financial Mountain

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Blazing trails in the digital landscape

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2023 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk