The FCC has released an interactive map showing the locations of as many as 600,000 homes and businesses nationwide targeted to receive broadband access via the agency’s Connect America Fund.
The map zeroes in on locations to receive access to broadband service down to the census block level and zooms out for a big-picture overview of the broadband expansion at the county, state and national levels. This summer the FCC announced providers in 44 states and Puerto Rico had requested more than $385 million from the fund, some of which they will match in areas, to expand the nation’s broadband infrastructure to rural areas.
“Thanks to the latest round of Connect America funding, rural counties in every corner of the nation will get access to broadband for the first time,” said acting chair Mignon Clyburn.
Broadband expansion in these locations is the result of a second round of funding from Phase I of the Connect America Fund. The Commission created the Connect America Fund to bring broadband communications in communities where there are insufficient market incentives to expand broadband service without a joint public-private effort.
Key reforms allow Connect America to expand support to both broadband and voice without increasing universal service fees on consumers and businesses. These reforms include barring subsidies in areas that already have broadband provided by an unsubsidized competitor.
