Federal Communications Commission
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
445 12th Street, S.W.
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
Washington, D. C. 20554
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
December 5, 2013
Mark Wigfield, 202-418-0253
E-mail: Mark.Wigfield@fcc.gov
FCC’s CONNECT AMERICA FUND TO EXPAND BROADBAND TO NEARLY 400,000 RURAL
HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN 41 STATES
Washington, D.C
. – Over $255 million in funding to provide new broadband access to over 400,000
homes and businesses in rural areas of 41 states has been authorized from the Federal Communications
Commission’s Connect America Fund, connecting nearly 1 million people who lack service.
The Connect America Fund is part of the FCC’s initiative to bring broadband access to rural
communities. The $255,723,850 authorized today represents a jump-start to bring broadband to these
areas. It brings the total authorized from the first phase of the Connect America Fund to nearly $403
million.
“Access to modern broadband networks is essential in the information age,” said FCC Chairman Tom
Wheeler. “Yet 15 million Americans live in areas where they can’t get wireline broadband no matter how
much they want it. These funds will jump-start broadband access in areas that would otherwise be
bypassed by the digital economy.”
Five carriers will use the funds in rural portions of their service areas where, absent support from the
Connect America Fund, broadband expansion was unlikely. The carriers are AT&T, CenturyLink,
Fairpoint Communications, Frontier Communications, and Windstream Corp.
The authorizations are as follows:
State
Total Locations
Total Funding
AL
37,591
$27,723,400
AR
19,668
$11,980,425
AZ
18,531
$11,637,000
CA
740
$442,100
CO
8,271
$4,731,300
FL
8,641
$5,623,525
GA
28,575
$16,854,525
IA
5,967
$3,443,175
ID
1,461
$841,575
IL
2,571
$1,600,350
IN
6,082
$3,670,000
KS
346
$214,825
KY
6,994
$4,668,175
LA
11,072
$8,087,150
ME
1,420
$861,550
MI
3,746
$2,169,875
MN
5,614
$3,391,900
MO
12,641
$8,033,450
MS
21,486
$16,170,825
MT
1551
$1,075,575
NC
13,028
$8,310,425
NE
531
$346,725
NH
1,254
$725,700
NJ
11
$6,050
NM
8,227
$4,906,900
NV
902
$502,850
NY
15,733
$8,960,500
OH
7,175
$4,393,775
OK
3,889
$2,490,625
OR
5,134
$3,007,975
PA
4,714
$2,673,250
SC
10,401
$7,639,125
SD
40
$22,000
TN
34,485
$26,243,700
TX
25,143
$16,107,225
UT
360
$207,900
VA
4,715
$2,765,600
WA
4,165
$2,529,250
WI
14,143
$8,295,925
WV
36,339
$22,333,425
WY
52
$34,225
Grand Total
393,409
$255,723,850
In August, the five carriers identified 563,767 locations where they wanted to use Connect America funds
to reach customers unserved by broadband. The eligibility of some of those locations was challenged.
Today’s action authorizes funding for 393,409 locations that were not subject to a challenge.
-FCC-
Source: FCC.gov