Governor Shapiro Announces $448 Million in Broadband Grants to Expand High-Speed Internet in Pennsylvania
Governor Josh Shapiro, alongside state and local officials, announced the allocation of over $448 million in grants to expand high-speed internet access across 50 counties in Pennsylvania. This funding is part of the first round of awards from Pennsylvania's $711 million federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding, approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration earlier this year. Specifically, Centre and Mifflin counties will receive $29 million for projects aimed at connecting approximately 3,000 homes and businesses. The initiative seeks to address the digital divide, particularly in rural areas where a significant portion of residents lack reliable and affordable internet access. Since 2022, state efforts have already reduced the number of households without high-speed internet by about 60%, from 330,000 to 133,000. The Shapiro administration has also launched pa.gov/connectpa, a website where residents can track when their area is expected to be connected...
