The Push to Expand Rural Broadband Unfolds Across State Government

More than 42 million Americans lack broadband access, including many in rural communities, according to research group BroadbandNow, which provides independent data on broadband access and policy. Now, states have access to significant federal funding to improve the situation. The American Rescue Plan Act earmarked $350 billion for a variety of services for state and local agencies, including expanded broadband access. At the same time, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act put another $65 billion in broadband funding on the table, $42 billion of which will be in the form of grants to states. If a state fails to apply, a local government may apply on its behalf. In terms of technology, states have a number of avenues open to them. While there are a variety of available ways to get broadband into rural communities, no one path represents a panacea. “You could say, ‘Let’s roll fiber everywhere,’” says Greenblatt. “But that’s mind-bogglingly expensive and will consume the dollars allotted very quickly. It’s not really cost-effective.” Satellites represent another possible avenue. “Instead of running fiber, which could be between $25,000 and $50,000 per mile, you can just subsidize an individual’s connection through satellites,” Gupta says.