Ivey awards close to $42 million for 'last mile' broadband projects

Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded grants totaling close to $42 million for "last mile" broadband projects in 23 Alabama counties. 

The grants will cover 2,347 miles to provide high-speed internet for more than 15,000 households, said an announcement from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) on Monday. 

“With these latest grants, Alabama takes another all-important step to supplying high-speed internet availability to more rural Alabama communities and neighborhoods,” Ivey said. “Upon completion of these projects, more children will have better learning opportunities, more businesses will have greater opportunities to compete worldwide, and emergency response departments and medical clinics will be able to offer improved services.”

The projects are called "last mile" because they are the final phase for internet installation in households. 

The following that serve internet customers in the Black Belt will benefit from the grants: 

Troy Cablevision (C Spire) – $5 million to provide high-speed internet to 2,132 in Baldwin, Coffee, Crenshaw, Covington, Houston and Pike counties. 

Yellowhammer Networks – $3.63 million to provide high-speed internet for 2,352 households in Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, Shelby and Sumter counties.

“Our state and so many partners are making continued progress in providing high-speed internet access to those unserved areas in Alabama,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “I remain honored in the trust that Governor Ivey and the Alabama Legislature have placed in ADECA in carrying out this mission that will truly change lives for the better.”