Shapiro addresses broadband plan for PA

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Gov. Josh Shapiro highlighted plans Wednesday to expand broadband access across Pennsylvania. 

Shapiro announced in June that Pennsylvania will receive more than $1.16 billion in federal funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The governor was accompanied by Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) Executive Director Brandon Carson. 

The PBDA, an independent, bipartisan agency created by law in December 2021, will administer the BEAD funding. The agency is creating a five-year plan to implement funding aimed at putting broadband in every Pennsylvania community. 

Shapiro noted in his visit to Luzerne County Wednesday that when it comes to broadband access, more than 7,000 locations in that area alone are unserved or underserved. Residents across the state have varying access to broadband. 

“Across Pennsylvania, more than 276,000 households, businesses, schools, and libraries don’t have access to broadband at all – and another 52,000 don’t have access to broadband they can rely on when they need it,” Shapiro said in a statement. 

“Connecting people to high speed, affordable internet, right now, will help grow our economy and strengthen our communities. My Administration is ready to do that work – and thanks to support from our federal partners like President Biden, Senator Casey, Senator Fetterman, and Congressman Cartwright, the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority will continue to partner with local and federal officials to bring broadband to communities all across Pennsylvania.” 

Carson called the federal funding an “historic win for Pennsylvania” and said it will help provide resources to make President Joe Biden‘s “Internet for All” initiative a reality.

“Under the Governor’s leadership, the Shapiro Administration is ready to do this work to connect every Pennsylvanian to high-speed affordable internet,” said Carson.

Working with Penn State Extension, the PBDA identified more than 50,000 Pennsylvania locations that lack access to high-speed internet but weren’t included in the federal government‘s initial map. The Federal Communications Commission has upheld 32,000 of those locations, making them eligible for federal BEAD funding, and helping make certain that the state received its share of the BEAD funding.

Pennsylvania is expected to receive the BEAD funding in 2024 and the PBDA plans to begin awarding subgrants to approved, eligible applicants in 2024.

Thus far, Pennsylvania has received more than $1.5 billion in federal funding allocations for its broadband efforts. In addition to the BEAD funding, the state also received $279 million in funding through the Capital Projects Fund and $6.6 million in federal planning funds in 2022.