Senator Andrew Jones Announces $14.8 Million in Broadband Grants for Etowah, Cherokee, and DeKalb Counties

 Montgomery-Alabama State Senator Andrew Jones, Vice Chair of the Alabama Digital Expansion Authority, announced more than $14.8 million in broadband grants to bring high-speed internet to over 2,200 households and locations across Etowah, Cherokee, and DeKalb counties for the first time.

“I’m honored to serve as Vice Chair of the Alabama Digital Expansion Authority,” Senator Jones said. “These grants will connect every home, business, and community institution in our area to reliable, high-speed internet—and we’re not done yet.”

The local breakdown of the grants is as follows:

• Etowah County – $11,611,650 through Comcast
• Cherokee County – $606,230 through Spectrum
• DeKalb County – $2,601,109 through Farmers Telecommunications

This funding is part of Alabama’s statewide Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which was recently approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The BEAD approval allows the state to expand broadband service to remaining unserved locations and marks a major milestone in Alabama’s ongoing efforts to close the digital divide.

Governor Kay Ivey, who announced the statewide NTIA approval, awarded nearly $460 million in grants to 63 projects that will bring high-speed internet to approximately 92,000 currently unserved locations statewide. “Reliable high-speed internet is essential for economic growth, education, healthcare and everyday life,” Governor Ivey said. “With this progress, we are ensuring that families and businesses across Alabama will have the connectivity they need to thrive in the modern economy.”

Since 2017, Governor Ivey, the Alabama Legislature, and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) have prioritized broadband expansion through state and federal grant programs, working with private partners and local communities. The BEAD program is expected to bring Alabama closer to full broadband coverage as defined by the NTIA.

ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell emphasized the collaborative effort behind the statewide initiative. “This approval reflects the strong partnership between Alabama, the federal government, internet providers and local communities across our state,” Boswell said. “These projects will deliver reliable, high-speed internet to every eligible location while supporting communities, businesses and families for generations to come.”

The projects funded through BEAD will use a combination of fiber, low-Earth orbit satellite, and hybrid fiber-coaxial technologies, with an average cost of less than $5,000 per location. ADECA is actively developing contracts for all approved projects and has put monitoring systems in place to ensure timely completion and lasting benefits.

The statewide plan involves both national providers and Alabama-based companies and cooperatives, all vetted to meet service commitments.

Statewide Broadband Funding Awards by Provider:

• AMAZON – $8.83 million total
  • Statewide: 14,728 locations
• ARDMORE TELEPHONE COMPANY – $2.63 million total
  • Lowndes County: 251 locations
• AT&T – $72.96 million total
  • Autauga County: $2.62 million (366 locations)
  • Bibb County: $1.54 million (154 locations)
  • Clarke County: $7.79 million (779 locations)
  • Cullman County: $3.67 million (368 locations)
  • Dallas County: $14.45 million (1,487 locations)
  • Jefferson County: $9.27 million (1,542 locations)
  • Lee County: $9.93 million (1,132 locations)
  • Montgomery County: $4.48 million (862 locations)
  • Morgan County: $194,503 (105 locations)
  • Russell County: $1.12 million (639 locations)
  • Shelby County: $8.17 million (817 locations)
  • Talladega County: $4.68 million (468 locations)
  • Walker County: $5.05 million (505 locations)
• BRIGHTSPEED – $14.31 million total
  • Butler County: $1.73 million (707 locations)
  • Coffee County: $2.07 million (349 locations)
  • Crenshaw County: $3.71 million (466 locations)
  • Geneva County: $2.54 million (396 locations)
  • Henry County: $1.87 million (680 locations)
  • Pickens County: $2.39 million (1,804 locations)
• COMCAST – $132.36 million total
  • Calhoun County: $10.30 million (1,231 locations)
  • Colbert County: $7.71 million (1,042 locations)
  • Etowah County: $11.61 million (1,194 locations)
  • Houston County: $14.29 million (2,585 locations)
  • Lauderdale County: $8.83 million (1,190 locations)
  • Mobile County: $30.60 million (5,295 locations)
  • Clair County: $16.61 million (2,172 locations)
  • Tuscaloosa County: $32.41 million (3,389 locations)
• FARMERS TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP. – $4.23 million total
  • DeKalb County: $2.60 million (322 locations)
  • Marshall County: $1.63 million (273 locations)
• MILLRY TELEPHONE CO. – $9.45 million total
  • Washington County: $9.45 million (1,117 locations)
• MSTREET FIBER ALABAMA – $24.21 million total
  • Greene County: $2.69 million (384 locations)
  • Hale County: $6.37 million (872 locations)
  • Marengo County: $3.75 million (511 locations)
  • Perry County: $4.79 million (1,167 locations)
  • Sumter County: $6.61 million (886 locations)
• POINT BROADBAND – $1.82 million total
  • Clay County: $1.82 million (1,176 locations)
• PREMIER BROADBAND – $46.35 million total
  • Chilton County: $19.91 million (2,006 locations)
  • Cleburne County: $20.55 million (2,066 locations)
  • Lawrence County: $5.89 million (658 locations)
• SP BROADBAND – $57.6 million total
  • Conecuh County: $22.81 million (3,149 locations)
  • Escambia County: $10.84 million (1,383 locations)
  • Monroe County: $23.95 million (3,395 locations)
• SPACEX – $7.85 million total
  • Statewide: $3.91 million (3,461 locations)
  • Bullock County: $41,250 (48 locations)
  • Chambers County: $306,000 (378 locations)
  • Choctaw County: $138,750 (160 locations)
  • Covington County: $317,250 (406 locations)
  • Jackson County: $251,250 (260 locations)
  • Pike County: $498,000 (431 locations)
  • Tallapoosa County: $761,250 (848 locations)
  • Wilcox County: $1.47 million (1,534 locations)
  • Winston County: $198,000 (245 locations)
• SPECTRUM SOUTHEAST – $16.61 million total
  • Blount County: $6.51 million (1,271 locations)
  • Cherokee County: $606,229 (142 locations)
  • Dale County: $9.50 million (1,093 locations)
• WINDSTREAM ALABAMA – $17.86 million total
  • Barbour County: $6.19 million (864 locations)
  • Coosa County: $2.89 million (514 locations)
  • Elmore County: $5.07 million (865 locations)
  • Macon County: $3.71 million (531 locations)
• ZITEL – $41.87 million total
  • Baldwin County: $29.83 million (9,984 locations)
  • Randolph County: $12.04 million (4,538 locations)

You can read the full press release from Ivey below:

Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced that the state’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program proposal, which will provide high-speed internet service for all remaining eligible locations in Alabama, has been approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

With approval, Governor Ivey today awarded grants totaling nearly $460 million to support 63 projects to expand access to broadband service to approximately 92,000 currently unserved locations statewide, marking a major milestone in the state’s broadband journey.

“This approval marks an important step forward in our work to close the digital divide in Alabama,” said Governor Ivey. “Reliable high-speed internet is essential for economic growth, education, healthcare and everyday life. I am proud of the collaboration between our state leaders, ADECA, local communities and providers that made this plan possible. With this progress, we are ensuring that families and businesses across Alabama will have the connectivity they need to thrive in the modern economy.”

Since 2017, Governor Ivey, the Alabama Legislature and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs have prioritized efforts to expand broadband through numerous state and federal grant programs while working closely with private partners and local communities. Through the BEAD program, combined with other federal and state grant programs in recent years, Alabama is on track to achieve full broadband coverage as defined by NTIA.

“This approval reflects the strong partnership between Alabama, the federal government, internet providers and local communities across our state,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “Under Governor Ivey’s leadership, our goal has always been clear – deliver reliable, high-speed internet to every eligible location in Alabama in the most responsible and cost-effective way possible. This plan and these projects position our state to do exactly that while ensuring these investments will support Alabama’s communities, businesses and families for generations to come.”

The 63 projects will expand access to broadband service at an average cost of less than $5,000 per location. In total, 71 percent of the projects will use fiber technology, 24 percent will use low-Earth orbit satellite technology and 5 percent will use hybrid fiber-coaxial technology. Of the original $1.4 billion allocated to Alabama for BEAD, ADECA is saving more than $800 million in taxpayer dollars, which are likely to be available for new “non-deployment” uses as defined by the NTIA at a later date.

ADECA is actively working to develop contracts for the 63 preliminarily approved projects. Proposed awardees include both national providers and Alabama-based companies and cooperatives, all of which have been vetted to ensure they can deliver on their commitments. ADECA’s plan includes a robust monitoring program to ensure that projects are completed on time, meet federal standards and provide lasting benefits to the people of Alabama.

With these grants, residents in Etowah, Cherokee, and DeKalb counties will gain access to reliable, high-speed internet for the first time, opening new opportunities for education, business, healthcare, and connectivity across the region.

With these grants, residents in Etowah, Cherokee, and DeKalb counties will finally gain access to reliable, high-speed internet, providing new opportunities for education, business, and healthcare in the region.