How 8 States Are Using Line Extension Programs to Connect Unserved Residents to Broadband

Over more than a decade, states have invested billions of dollars to extend broadband service to areas without high-speed internet. But now states are increasingly grappling with how to identify and connect unserved homes and businesses that are just out of reach of nearby last-mile infrastructure—the segment of a broadband network that connects a local internet service provider (ISP) to a customer—in areas that are otherwise served. Eight states—California, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia—have sought to address this problem using line extension programs. These programs can provide not only a highly accurate mechanism for identifying these scattered unserved locations at the address level but also grants to cover the construction expenses of connecting those properties. California and Indiana are leveraging state-funded line extension models, while the remaining six states are leveraging federal funding opportunities to extend broadband network lines, driven largely by federal funding available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Overall, these programs offer state leaders a way to connect residents who live near existing broadband infrastructure but still need the final stretch of a network to get online. As these nascent programs review applications and make award decisions, the outcomes of the early funded projects may determine whether states choose to continue investing in line extensions. As additional federal broadband funding becomes available in the coming months, these programs may provide states with another tool to close the digital divide.