Governor Shapiro (PA) Highlights Administration’s Plans to Bring High-Speed, Affordable Broadband to Every Pennsylvania Community

Governor Josh Shapiro (D-PA) and Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) Executive Director Brandon Carson highlighted the Shapiro Administration’s plans to expand broadband access across the Commonwealth using more than $1.16 billion in funding through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program and outlined plans to ensure every Pennsylvanian can access the internet. The Commonwealth will receive $1.16 billion to expand broadband infrastructure to communities that currently lack reliable, affordable, high-speed internet access. Across Luzerne County, residents have varying access to broadband services, and more than 7,000 locations are currently unserved or underserved. The Shapiro Administration is working to change that so every Luzerne County resident can access reliable, affordable, high-speed internet, which will lead to better health outcomes, better education outcomes, and better economic outcomes. The $1.16 billion in BEAD funding to the Commonwealth will be administered by the PBDA – an independent, bipartisan agency created by law in December 2021. The PBDA is in the process of creating a five-year action plan that will put broadband in every community across Pennsylvania. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to participate in the community engagement events taking place around the Commonwealth throughout the summer of 2023. The feedback collected from these events and through an online survey will be used to help shape broadband programs – including Pennsylvania’s five-year BEAD action plan.