State Rep. Dan Howell
State Rep. Dan Howell today provided an update on efforts to expand broadband internet access in Bradley, Meigs and Polk counties.
Construction is underway on a Volunteer Energy Cooperative project to expand broadband access to 3,327 households across parts of Bradley and Polk counties, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Charter Communications is also working to provide service to an additional 10,106 households across parts of Benton, Carroll, Loudon, McMinn, McNairy and Meigs counties.
“Having access to fast and reliable internet service is vital for the success of our communities,” Rep.
Howell said. “These projects will benefit thousands of residents by greatly expanding broadband infrastructure across rural and underserved areas of Tennessee. I am grateful for the local and state partnerships that have made these efforts possible.”
Both companies were awarded a combined $35.8 million in grant funding for the projects last fall from TNECD. The work must be completed by 2025.
According to the Federal Communications Commission’s 2020 Broadband Deployment Report, one in six rural Tennesseans lacks access to broadband.
“Expanding broadband internet services to more families, schools and businesses is a priority,” Rep. Howell said. “I was proud to co-sponsor the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act in 2017, and I look forward to the positive impact these grants will have throughout our state.”
Starting in September, TNECD will offer up to an additional $185 million in grants to expand internet access statewide. The funding will be allocated through the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group to expand broadband access in underserved and unserved areas statewide through the Last Mile and Middle Mile grant programs.
The Last Mile Grant Program will offer up to $60 million to internet service providers across unserved and underserved areas in Hardin, Wayne and Polk counties. These communities lack broadband at speeds of 100/20 Megabits per second (Mbps) and were selected due to their percentage of unserved and underserved residential locations compared to other counties in the state.
The Middle Mile Grant Program will offer up to $125 million to internet service providers in all other counties in Tennessee that lack internet at speeds of 100/20 Mbps. Each of these grants must have a last mile component and provide new and/or improved service in unserved or underserved areas.
Grant applications for both programs will open on Sept. 4 and close on Oct. 16. Award recipients are expected to be announced by early 2024.
Since 2018, TNECD has awarded nearly $566.6 million in broadband grants through state and federal funding to serve more than 660,000 Tennesseans across 260,000 residential locations.
To learn more about Tennessee’s broadband initiatives and review program guidelines, visit www.tn.gov/broadband.