NTIA Funds Public-Private Broadband Partnerships

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society previously highlighted the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Broadband Infrastructure Program awards given to 5 states and 1 US territory–Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Washington, and Guam. Here, we look at NTIA's seven awards given at the state commission and county level, offering a closer look at each grantee’s identified needs and broadband deployment objectives. What sets the Broadband Infrastructure Program apart from other federal funding initiatives is its focus on "covered partnerships" as recipients of its funding–that is, a public-private partnership between a state or subdivision(s) of a state and a provider of fixed broadband service.