Gov. Ivey awards grants for broadband expansion in four north Alabama counties

Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) awarded $7.86 million to continue expanding high-speed internet services in Alabama. The three grants, awarded from funds provided by the Alabama Legislature, will serve areas in Blount, Cullman, Marshall and Morgan counties. The expansion projects will make broadband service accessible for more than 6,700 households, businesses and community anchors. Community anchors include schools, fire and police departments, libraries, and other public buildings. Households and businesses must subscribe to paid service to receive broadband. Broadband providers only supply the access to high-speed internet, 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 project areas are:

1. Spectrum Southeast LLC – $3.84 million to provide broadband access for 1,435 households, businesses and community anchors in parts of Marshall and Blount counties including areas in or around the town of Susan Moore and the McClarty community.
2. Spectrum Southeast LLC– $1.84 million to provide broadband access for 3,610 households, businesses and community anchors in or around the Blount County towns of County Line, Hayden and Locust Fork.
3. Brindlee Mountain LLC (GoNetSpeed) – $2.18 million to provide broadband access to 1,708 households and businesses in parts of Blount, Cullman, Marshall and Morgan counties to includes part of the town of Arab and the communities of Hopewell, Union Grove, Joppa and West Point.