In the Commonwealth, 364,156 homes and small businesses do not have access to high-speed Internet.
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today that Virginia will receive $1,481,489,572.87 to deploy affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service.
The funding for Virginia comes from the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, of which “Internet for All” is a part and a key component of President Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda.
“This historic $1.4 billion investment, made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, will bring affordable, high-speed Internet and good-paying jobs all across Virginia,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said. “I am proud to support this investment, and look forward to working with Governor Youngkin to connect every Virginian to the full potential of the digital economy.”
States across the nation, Washington D.C., and territories will use funding from the BEAD program from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to administer grant programs within their borders. BEAD funding will enable states to deploy or upgrade broadband networks and ensure everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service. After deployment, any remaining funding can be used on broadband adoption, training and workforce development efforts.
Notifications will be received this Friday, and states, D.C. and territories have 180 days to submit initial proposals for how the grant programs will be spent.
“This whopping $1.4 billion investment brings us a giant step closer to achieving our goal of universal broadband coverage in Virginia,” Virginia Sen. Mark R. Warner said. ”We all know that access to fast, reliable and affordable internet is crucial to ensuring our rural communities grow and thrive, and I’m thrilled that Virginia is receiving the investment we need to deploy broadband all across the Commonwealth. This funding is in no small part thanks to the Virginians that took time out of their day to report their connectivity status. Because of these efforts, we were able to accurately report our coverage and access every cent to which Virginia was entitled.”
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Rebecca Barnabi
