CPUC Approves Broadband Grant for Project in San Benito County, Advancing Efforts To Bridge the Digital Divide

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a $1.78 million grant from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Line Extension Program to South Valley Internet, Inc./LCB Communications. The grant will fund the Southside Road Project in San Benito County which will provide high-speed internet service at speeds of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) for both download and upload to Southside Road Labor Camp, Hollister Migrant Housing Center, and Southside Mobile Park. This initiative will transform connectivity for 194 households, serving a total of 740 residents, among them 130 school-aged children. The Southside Project involves the deployment of approximately 3,500 feet of distribution fiber and 18,000 feet of fiber drop cables. It promises seamless service delivery via wireline connections, utilizing both fiber and wired ethernet technologies to ensure accessibility across all locations.