Oregon Approved to Receive 'Historic' Federal Investment in High-Speed Internet Infrastructure
The stage is set for a massive investment in Oregon's plans to bring high-speed internet to everyone in the state.
The second volume of Oregon's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) proposal has been approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. This approval marks a significant milestone, as it involves nearly $700 million in federal funding.
A Historic Investment
Nick Batz, the director of the Oregon Broadband Office, emphasizes the importance of this momentous investment.
"This is a historic investment. We've never seen this much money invested in broadband by the federal government before. I'm not sure that we're ever going to see it again – and if we're successful, we're not going to need it again," he explained.
Why High-Speed Internet Matters
Batz highlights that high-speed internet connectivity is crucial for modern life. It enables everything from remote work to telemedicine appointments, and is especially vital in rural parts of the state.
Next Steps: Selecting Grantees
The state will now begin the process of selecting the grantees who will build the infrastructure in unserved or underserved locations.
"The goal of this challenge process is to identify every location in Oregon that is eligible to receive BEAD funding. So, by the end of this challenge process, we will have a master list of all these locations. It's going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 120,000 to 140,000 locations," Batz explained.
Funding Source
This major funding opportunity comes from Congress's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Biden Administration is currently distributing more than $42 billion to states with the aim of increasing high-speed internet connectivity.
This investment serves as a crucial step toward ensuring that every resident in Oregon has access to reliable, high-speed internet, addressing both urban and rural needs of the state.
