Author: Seth Kinsaul

Ivey ‘breaks ground’ on Co-op broadband expansion

(December 4, 2023) Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday, Dec. 4, made a stop at the Cullman Electric Cooperative for a ceremonial groundbreaking to signify the beginning of a new broadband expansion project.

“Our presence in Cullman County today underscores our commitment to providing access to high-speed internet for every Alabamian. The remarkable strides made here, supported by the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund and Cullman Electric Cooperative, signify our dedication to connecting unserved residents,” said Ivey. “This milestone represents our journey towards statewide connectivity, demonstrating that when one community gains access, we all move closer to a more connected and prosperous Alabama.”

Gov. Ivey visits Oakman to discuss broadband expansion

(November 28, 2023) It was a historic day in Oakman on Tuesday when Gov. Kay Ivey visited the community for the first time to begin her broadband tour across the state.

The gathering in Oakman Middle School’s library, attended by several stakeholders, community members and school personnel, served as a platform for Ivey to discuss broadband expansion in Alabama and how the town of Oakman benefits from the efforts.

ADECA hosts broadband meetings in all 67 counties

(May 22, 2023) The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) has reached an important milestone in broadband expansion by hosting community broadband meetings in each of Alabama’s 67 counties.

The meetings, implemented through the Alabama Community Broadband Technical Assistance Program, are designed to bring community leaders to the table and provide state-level assistance to support local efforts to expand broadband infrastructure for the benefit of the public and economic development.

Alabama makes strides in broadband expansion

(February 11, 2023) If you took a nighttime plane ride across much of the rural South in the early 1900s, you would see nothing but darkness on the ground below because electricity at the time was centered mainly in highly populated areas.

But through federal, state and private sector partnerships, electricity was brought into rural America to light up homes and power the products many of us today take for granted. Life without access to electricity is tough for most of us to even imagine, but there was a time not too long ago when many simply did not have it. The same is true today of high-speed internet access.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announces almost $200 million more available for broadband expansion

(January 30, 2023) Alabama’s efforts to extend access to broadband service to unserved areas received a boost Jan. 26 with the U.S. Treasury Department approval of the state’s plan for the Capital Projects Fund. The approval makes $191.8 million available for broadband expansion, Gov. Kay Ivey said.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) will administer the funds as part of a grant program to extend broadband service statewide.

Ivey announces $82 million “middle mile” broadband expansion

(September 28, 2022) Nearly 3,000 miles of existing and new fiber infrastructure will be connected over the next three years thanks to an $82.45 million grant announced by Gov. Kay Ivey and other state leaders Tuesday.

The grant is part of the $276 million commitment the Alabama Legislature made to broadband expansion out of the state’s ARPA funding.