Missouri Seeks Broadband Stimulus Funding

Missouri is applying for $142 million of federal stimulus money to expand high-speed Internet access to remote parts of the state. If Missouri's project is approved by the federal government, it would extend broadband access to more than 91 percent of the state's population. High-speed Internet currently is available to fewer than 80 percent of Missouri residents. Under the application, to be filed with the Department of Agriculture and Department of Commerce, the state and Sho-Me Technologies will request funds to help lay 2,500 miles of fiber-optic cable and construct 200 new broadband towers across the state. To make this project feasible, the state of Missouri would provide $25.2 million in matching funds if the application is approved and funded, and Sho-Me Technologies would contribute $8.375 million in fiber lines along the new network. The state's $25.2 million in matching funds would help purchase the equipment to connect the new fiber across the state. While the equipment would serve the needs of both the state and Sho-Me Technologies, the state would actually own the equipment. The state matching funds provided for this project would come from a $40 million allocation, from the federal budget stabilization fund, approved by the legislature this year for broadband enhancement projects. Known as a "middle-mile" project, MoBroadbandNow would bring a high-speed broadband connection into currently underserved or unserved communities. "Last-mile" service providers, such as local utility or cable companies, then would provide direct Internet access to homes, businesses and other customers either wirelessly or by laying additional fiber lines. Missouri is also partnering with a number of "last-mile," local Internet Service Providers to submit applications for recovery funds to extend broadband connections from the new MoBroadbandNow backbone to consumers in rural Missouri. Among these "last-mile" partners are Big River Telephone, Ralls County Electric Cooperative and Poplar Bluff Internet, which, in total, are seeking recovery act funding to extend high-speed Internet service, at fair prices, to more than 60,000 rural Missourians who currently lack such a connection.