Alabama Governor Ivey Continues Progressing Broadband Across the State, Awards $24.7 Million in Grants

Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) awarded nearly $25 million in grants to expand broadband services throughout the state. The nine grants, totaling $24.72 million, were awarded to broadband providers across the state to support projects in unserved or underserved areas of Alabama. The completed projects will enable nearly 20,000 households, businesses, and community anchors to have access to high-speed internet. Households and businesses must subscribe to paid services to receive broadband. Broadband providers only supply access, but households and businesses must still pay for connecting to the service. The expansion will also provide additional links to make it more feasible to supply future broadband service within those areas. Grants awarded and affected areas are:

• Cullman, Morgan and Winston counties: Cullman Electric Cooperative - $4.58 million to provide broadband access for 1,356 households, businesses and community anchors in parts of Cullman, Morgan, and Winston counties.
• Winston County: Spectrum Southeast – $351,119 to provide broadband services for 715 households, businesses and anchors in the vicinity of Double Springs and Lynn.
• Tuscaloosa County: Spectrum Southeast – $2.45 million to provide broadband service access for 2,204 households, businesses and community anchors in the vicinity of Coaling, Vance and Woodstock.
• Bibb County: Spectrum Southeast – $1.02 million to provide broadband accessibility for up to 2,482 households, businesses and anchors in the vicinities of Brent, Centreville, Vance, West Blocton and Woodstock.
• Shelby County: Spectrum Southeast – $2.92 million to provide broadband service in the areas of Calera, Columbiana, Montevallo, Westover and Wilsonville with the potential to affect 4,412 households, businesses and community anchors.
• Baldwin and Escambia counties: Mediacom- $4.05 million to provide broadband service connectivity for 1,756 households, businesses and community anchors in northwest Baldwin County and southwest Escambia County between Bay Minette and Atmore.
• Baldwin County: Mediacom – $2.91 million to provide internet access affecting 1,895 households, businesses and community anchors in an area near the city of Robertsdale.
• Mobile County: Mediacom- $3.11 million to provide access for 2,824 households, businesses and community anchors near the communities of Grand Bay and Wilmer; Mediacom- $3.31 million to provide broadband service availability for 1,715 households, businesses and community anchors near Mount Vernon.