The Federal Government’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund Will Provide $363 Million In Funding for Connectivity
In January 2023, the Texas Comptroller’s office announced that the state of Texas will receive $363 million in Federal Grants to deploy and improve broadband internet infrastructure throughout the state through the Federal government’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. This announcement was followed by another on March 6, 2023, that the Comptroller’s office intends to solicit an initial round of $120 million in funding for broadband programs, which will be awarded through a series of competitive grant programs.
The funding, which will be administered by the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO), is earmarked for the Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas (BOOT) program, which aims to bring new or improved internet access to over 150,000 homes and businesses throughout the state. Currently, over 2.8 million Texas households – which encompasses roughly 7 million individuals and 23% of the state’s population – do not have broadband access.
Utilizing the Texas Broadband Development Map, the BOOT program will determine eligibility for last-mile broadband infrastructure programs, facilitating access to work, education, and healthcare services in unserved and underserved areas.
According to the Comptroller’s office, the criteria used to provide funding are:
- The project is located in a designated area considered eligible by BDO for funding.
- The project invests in capital assets that directly enable work, education, and health monitoring.
- The project is designed to address a critical need in the community to be served by it.
- The project will address a critical need that resulted from or was made apparent or exacerbated by the COVID-19 public health emergency.
A Blueprint from Amarillo
In Amarillo, for example, the historic El Barrio district is nearly completely cut off from internet access. The neighborhood was developed in the late 1800s to house Mexican railroad workers and has grown into a community of 1,000 families and businesses celebrating their rich Hispanic heritage. However, the neighborhood’s infrastructure is crumbling, with sidewalks in need of repair and modernization slow to take hold. Since 2008, the Amarillo City Council, in conjunction with the Barrio Neighborhood Planning Committee, has been working on revitalizing the area, with broadband connectivity now at the top of their priority list.
Once considered more of a “luxury,” the Covid-19 pandemic public health crisis has highlighted how integral a reliable internet connection is in today’s society. Without access to reliable internet, residents of under and unserved communities have difficulty accessing employment and educational necessities and health care services. Many Texas citizens without internet access are in similar demographic categories as the El Barrio residents, and other cities are watching Amarillo and El Barrio closely to see if their strategy can provide a framework for their own communities.
Internet Access and The Resources To Use It
The City of Amarillo has come to a $24 million agreement with AT&T to build a new high-speed internet network and bring connectivity to over 20,000 locations within the city limits – including affordable, in-home connections in El Barrio and free, public Wi-Fi throughout the city in public places. $2 million of the funding is being provided by Amarillo via the American Rescule Plan Act, while AT&T is funding the remainder of the $24 million. The AT&T Foundation is also providing a grant to the Barrio Neighborhood Planning Committee to host free English and Spanish classes for adult and senior residents about digital literacy and starting businesses.
Once the community has access to the internet, there are concerns about affordability. City administrators are hopeful that most residents will be eligible for the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides free or discounted internet service to low-income households.
Infinity Technology Solutions for Broadband Infrastructure Projects
In partnership with Nokia, Infinity Technology Solutions is the partner state governments and private internet service providers need to maximize the funding allocated to their communications infrastructure. We have extensive experience assisting public and private entities in building fiber networks to make broadband internet access a reality for all U.S. citizens.
Contact us to learn how we can help you launch your broadband infrastructure project successfully.
