New York Office of the Governor
Governor Hochul Announces ConnectALL is Accepting Applications for $644 Million to Expand Affordable Broadband Access in New York State
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the release of the Request for Applications under the ConnectALL Deployment Program making $644 million in federal funding available to expand affordable, high-speed broadband access to the remaining homes and businesses in New York State that do not have any reliable broadband option or an existing commitment for service under another program.
ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program Awards Over $140 Million o Bring Affordable High-Speed Broadband to More Than 60,000 Homes and Businesses
Over $140 million in awards from the ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program will expand broadband infrastructure throughout Central New York, the Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Mid-Hudson, and Western New York regions. These public-private partnerships will lead to the construction of more than 1,200 miles of publicly-owned fiber optic infrastructure and wireless hubs, connecting over 60,000 homes and businesses with affordable, symmetric service — offering equal download and upload speeds at rates below regional averages.
Governor Hochul Announces Settlement to Provide Discounted Broadband to Low-Income New Yorkers
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) had reached a settlement agreement with Charter Communications, parent company of broadband provider Spectrum, which operates in 58 out of the 62 counties in New York State, requiring the communications company to provide discounted broadband service to low-income customers in the National Free School Lunch Program or receive Supplemental Security Income benefits. The settlement will require Charter to offer the program at $15/month for 50 Mbps download speed for four years to New Yorkers in the National
Governor Hochul Unveils Application Guidelines for More Than $11 Million in ConnectALL Funding to Expand Broadband Access Ahead of Application Launch Later This Month
Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled application guidelines for more than $11 million in new grant programs under Empire State Development’s ConnectALL Initiative, the largest-ever investment in New York's digital infrastructure, ahead of the launch of the applications on June 17. Together, the programs—the Regional and Local Assistance Program and the Digital Equity Technical Assistance Fund—will prepare local government and nonprofit organizations to participate in upcoming broadband deployment and digital equity programs across the state.
Governor Hochul To Start New Digital Literacy Program for New Yorkers Through State Department of Labor
Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY), through the New York State Department of Labor, is launching a new, free digital literacy program to help job seekers gain the skills they need to be more marketable to employers. The program is available through a partnership with Northstar Digital Literacy to assess job seekers’ computer skills and help them build knowledge in areas sought after by businesses. According to a 2022 survey, 44 percent of responding businesses said basic computer use and computer literacy were common skills lacking among job applicants and new employees.
Gov Hochul Issues New York State Challenge to FCC Broadband Data
Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) announced that New York's ConnectALL Office has submitted over 31,000 addresses from across the state to the Federal Communications Commission under the Broadband Data Collection challenge process. The federal challenge process, which allows states to propose changes or updates to the FCC's broadband maps, helps to better locate areas unserved or underserved by broadband.
New York Announces More Than 1 Million Households Are Enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program
Gov Kathy Hochul (D-NY) announced that one million qualifying New York households have enrolled in the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a nationwide subsidy to expand broadband access to low-income households. Earlier this year, the Governor launched a multi-agency outreach initiative to build awareness of the program and encourage eligible households to enroll. New York is one of the leading states in the nation for ACP enrollment with 30 percent of eligible households currently taking advantage of this federal benefit.
New York State Releases Statewide Address-Level Broadband Map
The New York State Public Service Commission released a first-of-its-kind, interactive broadband map to provide the most detailed depiction of broadband infrastructure in New York to date.
Gov Hochul Announces $1 Billion 'ConnectALL' Initiative to Bring Affordable Broadband to Millions of New Yorkers
Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) announced the ConnectALL initiative, the largest ever investment in New York's 21st-century infrastructure. Under the new initiative, New York State will use over $1 billion in public and private investments to connect New Yorkers in rural and urban areas statewide to broadband. This includes: