Comcast is Big Winner in Latest West Virginia Broadband Grant Funding

West Virginia Gov Jim Justice (R-WV) announced preliminary approval for close to $21 million in funding for six broadband infrastructure projects in the state. Comcast was the largest winner of this latest West Virginia broadband funding. The $21 million in grants are part of an ongoing broadband infrastructure funding program in the state, labeled the Major Broadband Project Strategies (MBPS) program, which itself is a part of the Governor’s “Billion-Dollar Broadband Strategy.” Comcast is by far the largest grant winner in this round, gaining $14.7 million of the $20.8 million to build 304 miles of fiber that will eventually reach 1,402 addresses in West Virginia. Comcast kicked in over $6 million in matching funds. The Comcast West Virginia project will focus on addresses in Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, and Ohio (WV) Counties, which are located in the northern panhandle region of the state. Other grant winners include Shentel ($1.1 million), Frontier ($1.6 million), DQE Communications ($1 million), and Citynet ($2.2 million). Large cable companies like Comcast have become much more active in targeting rural broadband expansion funding provided by state and federal governments. Charter is by far the most active, having already won over a billion dollars from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.