Alabama grants to expand broadband access

Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) announced $26.6 million in grants to help deliver access to high-speed internet to communities in 10 counties. The grants will help fund the work to make broadband available to almost 15,000 homes, businesses, schools and other public facilities. The expansion will include links to make future expansion more feasible. The grants come from the Broadband Accessibility Fund program administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs through a plan created by the Alabama Legislature to spend $277 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act on broadband expansion over the next few years. Grants awarded and affected areas are:

• Blount/Etowah Counties: Comcast Cable Communications - $1.32 million to provide access to 956 households, businesses and public institutions in the towns and communities of Allgood, Altoona, Walnut Grove, Pana, Ellison Crossroads and Redbud.
• Cherokee County: Comcast Cable Communications - $4.74 million to provide broadband access to 2,778 households, businesses and public buildings in the towns of Leesburg, Sand Rock and the community of Anderson.
• Colbert County: Comcast Cable Communications - $1.2 million to provide broadband access to 1,567 households, businesses and public establishments near the town of Leighton and the communities of Ford City and Hatton and an area near the town of Littleville.
• DeKalb County: Farmers Telecommunications Corp. - $3.4 million to provide broadband access to 826 households, businesses and public service institutions in or near the towns, cities and communities of Mentone, Valley Head, Fort Payne, Cloudmont, Cloudland, Union Hill, Moon Lake, Ponderosa, Bankhead, Little River East Fork, Little River West Fork, Oakdale, Sylvania Gap and DeSoto State Park.
• Jackson County: Farmers Telecommunications Corp. - $4.37 million to provide broadband access to 1,818 households, businesses and public buildings to include all or parts of the towns and communities of Dutton, Section, Langston, Powell, Macedonia, Davistown, Pleasant View, Hodge and Hancock Crossing.
• Lauderdale County: Spectrum Southeast - $2.31 million to provide broadband access near the town of Waterloo. The project will make high-speed internet available to 2,267 households, businesses and public institutions.
• Mobile County: Comcast Cable Communications - $686,298 to provide broadband access to 438 households, businesses and public institutions in the communities of Alabama Port and Mon Louis.
• St. Clair County: Comcast Cable Communications - $3.63 million to provide broadband access to 2,104 households, businesses and public institutions in an area adjacent to the town of Ragland.
• Walker County: Spectrum Southeast - $4.95 million to provide broadband access for 2,097 households, businesses and public institutions in the areas of the towns of Oakman and Nauvoo.