Colorado Approved for $420 Million in Federal Broadband Funding, Connecting Rural Colorado

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DENVER ~ Denver, CO - The Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) has announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved the state's Final Proposal under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. This approval unlocks $420.6 million in federal funding from the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for Colorado's broadband infrastructure, bringing high-speed internet to over 96,000 Coloradans.

Governor Jared Polis expressed his excitement about this historic investment, stating that it will provide much-needed access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet for thousands of Coloradans who have been without it for too long. He believes that this investment will help these individuals thrive in their work, education, business ventures, and access to healthcare.

The strategic deployment of this funding will connect rural and some urban homes and businesses using a variety of technologies such as fiber, wireless, and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Internet service providers will be responsible for connecting these technologies to ensure efficient access for all locations. To find out which broadband technology each location will receive using BEAD funding, interested parties can refer to the BEAD Final Proposal Map.

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Brandy Reitter, Executive Director of CBO, expressed her gratitude for this approval from NTIA after years of intensive planning and application processes. She believes that this is a monumental win for rural Coloradans who have been lacking access to high-speed internet. Reitter also stated that this highly anticipated funding will be strategically deployed to connect remote communities and address the digital divide.

The BEAD program was created through the IIJA as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's "Internet for All" initiative. It includes major broadband provisions drawn from Senator Michael Bennet's bipartisan BRIDGE Act. Senators Michael Bennet, John Hickenlooper, and Congressman Joe Neguse played a crucial role in shaping and passing this historic investment, securing over $5 million in planning funds in 2022 and more than $826 million in BEAD allocations for Colorado in 2023. Their efforts to modernize broadband standards, expand affordability programs, and prioritize unserved and underserved communities have positioned Colorado as one of the first states to receive NTIA approval for BEAD funding and move from planning to implementation. This strong federal-state partnership has laid the foundation for today's approval and continues to accelerate Colorado's progress towards connecting households with affordable, reliable high-speed internet.

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Following this approval, the National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST) will have 20 days to review Colorado's plan. After that, the state will have 30 days to review and sign off on it. Once these steps are completed, CBO will be able to initiate grant agreements, draw down funds, and move forward with BEAD projects. A list of the projects that will move forward can be found in Appendix A, which aims to connect thousands of currently unserved and underserved locations with high-speed internet access. Grantees will have four years to complete construction on their projects once awarded.

This investment is crucial for closing Colorado's digital divide and directly supports Governor Polis' Executive Order to connect 99% of all Coloradans to high-speed internet. With this significant funding now approved, it is expected that many more Coloradans will soon have access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet services.

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