Miles SmithMaine has opened the application period for $272 million in federal funding that has been allocated for projects to expand high-speed internet access in unserved and underserved areas across the state.
The funding – which is the largest grant in Maine’s history for internet expansion – is available through the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The BEAD program advances high-speed internet expansion by funding projects focused on planning, infrastructure deployment, mapping and adoption.
Applications must be submitted to the Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) by Feb. 28.
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“Maine is now on the precipice of connecting the most rural and remote locations with high-speed internet through the BEAD Program,” said Andrew Butcher, president of Maine Connectivity Authority. “MCA has been deliberately planning and preparing for this moment when qualified applicants will make bids on some of the hardest-to-reach areas in Maine and ensure no one is left in the digital dark.”
Last fall, MCA conducted preliminary reviews of applicants’ technical, financial, operational and managerial capacity leading up to the competitive BEAD Project Application phase. 16 applicants were pre-qualified, including Maine-based, regional and national companies providing internet service through a variety of technologies.
Areas that are eligible to receive the funding include 26,000 homes and businesses and 2,500 community anchor institutions (CAIs) such as libraries, community centers, and healthcare facilities.
“Maine’s rural municipalities, and even less populated sections of cities and towns, have seen substantial growth in recent years, as people realize they can live in a place they love, and they choose Maine,” said Clara McCool, Chair of Maine Broadband Coalition Advisory Committee. “This BEAD funding is vital to those places where internet access is not sufficient for these needs, expanding economic opportunities across the state.”
