A Progress Report on Broadband Access in Alabama

This week, the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama released a report, Broadband in Alabama’s Black Belt in 2025, that examines broadband infrastructure expansion efforts in Alabama's 24-county Black Belt region, an area characterized by persistent poverty and significant rural/urban divides. The authors set out to answer three specific questions about public investment, outcomes, and remaining connectivity gaps. Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) has made broadband access a top priority of her administration since taking office in 2017. The report tracks the state's progress over the past few years and points to the need for further action.