Recently, Governor Ron DeSantis announced $60 million in prizes through the broadband opportunity program to expand broadband Internet access in Florida’s underserved communities.
These awards will support 22 projects in 19 Florida counties for the expansion of broadband Internet that will affect nearly 58,000 unserved residential, educational, agricultural, commercial and community locations. Including today’s awards, more than $226 million has been awarded to expand broadband Internet access across the state, helping connect more than 250,000 homes and businesses.
“These $60 million in awards bring our total broadband investment to more than $226 million to expand broadband Internet access in Florida’s underserved communities,” DeSantis said. “With this investment, we are connecting more than 250,000 unserved homes and businesses and expanding opportunities in rural communities.”
These awards follow the more than $144 million awarded by Governor DeSantis in February and more than $22 million awarded in April, bringing Florida’s total investment to more than $226 million for broadband Internet expansion in small communities and rural Florida, impacting a total of more than 250,000 homes and businesses statewide.
“Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Floridians will not have to leave their hometowns to access education, health care and business resources due to a lack of broadband Internet access,” said the Department’s Acting Secretary. of Economic Opportunities. Meredith Ivey. “Small and rural communities across the state will be able to connect to fast, reliable broadband Internet at home or business and will be able to take advantage of the opportunities that come with broadband Internet connectivity.”
Administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), the Broadband Opportunity Program funds the installation and deployment of broadband Internet infrastructure in underserved Florida communities, providing valuable access to telehealth, economic, educational and career development opportunities to provide a brighter future for all Floridians.
The following projects will be awarded through the Broadband Opportunity Program:
Southeast Arcadia ($4,997,588): To add 13 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 497 unserved locations within DeSoto County with symmetrical upload and download speeds of 1 gigabyte per second (GB).
Cities of Cedar Key and Chiefland, Cities of Otter Creek and Inglis, and Unincorporated
Gulf Hammock, Old Town, Rosewood, Summer and Suwannee communities ($5,000,000) — to add 1,096.91 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,238 unserved locations within Dixie and Levy counties with symmetrical 1 GB upload and download speeds .
Cities of Hampton and Starke ($5,000,000) — to add 89 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 960 unserved locations within Bradford County with symmetrical 1 GB upload and download speeds.
Unincorporated communities of Marion Oaks, Ocklawaha, and Silver Springs ($2,428,013) — to add 122.12 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,061 unserved locations within Marion County with symmetrical 1 GB upload and download speeds.
Rainbow Lake Estates Unincorporated Community ($1,043,858) — to add 49.17 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 668 unserved locations within Marion County with symmetrical 1GB upload and download speeds.
Okeechobee and Sebring cities; Unincorporated Community of Lorida ($5,000,000) — to add 795 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,195 unserved locations within Highlands and Okeechobee counties with symmetrical 1 GB upload and download speeds.
Jay and Pine Level Towns; Unincorporated communities of Berrydale, Brownsdale, Dixonville, Mount Carmel, Munson, Springhill, Walnut Hill, and Whitfield ($2,615,434.62) — to add 1,015 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,193 unserved locations within Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with Symmetrical 1GB upload and download speeds
City of Mascotte; Astatula City; Unincorporated Communities of Astor and Astor Park ($2,007,768) — to add 71.94 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,272 unserved locations within Lake County with symmetrical 1 GB upload and download speeds.
Unincorporated Communities of NE and NW Citrus County ($1,245,500) — to add 310.9 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 4,982 unserved locations within Citrus County with symmetrical 1 GB upload and download speeds.
Cities of Bowling Green and Wauchula; Zolfo Springs Town; Unincorporated community of Charlie Creek; Central and North Hardee County ($2,098,642) — to add 165.10 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,664 unserved locations within Hardee County with symmetrical 1 GB upload and download speeds.
Cities of Eustis, Groveland, Leesburg, Mount Dora, Tavares, and Umatilla; Astatula City; Unincorporated communities of Altoona, Lake Kathryn Lake Mack-Forrest Hills and Paisley ($1,800,250) — to add 341.3 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 7,201 unserved locations within Lake County with symmetrical 1 GB upload and download speeds.
Unincorporated Manatee County and the unincorporated communities of Duette, Parrish, Rubonia and Willow ($1,550,553) — to add 42 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 261 unserved locations within Manatee County with symmetrical upload and download speeds of 1 GB.
City of Mcintosh, Reddick and Zuber; Unincorporated communities of Anthony, Blitchton, Citra, East Williston, Ematha, Evinston, Fairfield, Irvine, Lowell, Martin, Orange Lake, Spar, and York ($2,980,000) — to add 701.1 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 11,920 unserved locations within Marion County with symmetrical 1GB upload and download speeds.
Frostproof Cities, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lake Wales, Lakeland, and Polk City; Unincorporated Polk County and Unincorporated Community of Indian Lakes Estates ($1,799,853): Add 204 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 2,440 unserved locations within Polk County with symmetrical 1GB upload and download speeds.
Cities of Bartow, Fort Meade, Frostproof and Mulberry; Towns of Bradley and Brewster; Unincorporated Polk County and Unincorporated Community of Homeland ($2,321,388): To add 103 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 853 unserved locations within Polk County with symmetrical 1 GB upload and download speeds.
Bushnell and Webster cities; Unincorporated communities of Croom-A-Coochee, Lake Panasoffkee, Linden, Tarrytown and The Villages ($604,000) — to add 126.7 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 310 unserved locations within Sumter County with symmetrical upload and download speeds of 1GB.
City of Labelle and the unincorporated communities of Felda, Fort Denaud and Port Labelle ($4,916,800) — to add 261.2 square miles of fixed wireless coverage to provide 1,128 unserved locations within Hendry County with minimum download and upload speeds of 100/20 megabits per second (Mbps).
Cities of Bowling Green and Wauchula; Zolfo Springs Town; Unincorporated Communities of Limestone, Gardner and Ona ($5,000,000) — to add 618 square miles of fixed wireless coverage to provide 6,071 unserved locations within Hardee County with minimum upload and download speeds of 100/20 Mbps.
City of Valparaiso ($207,087.49) — to add 15.14 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 174 unserved locations within Okaloosa County with symmetrical 1GB upload and download speeds.
Cities of Trenton and Fanning Springs ($4,948,800): To add 100 square miles of fixed wireless coverage to provide 1,981 unserved locations within Gilchrist County with minimum upload and download speeds of 100/20 Mbps.
City of Williston ($25,000) — to add 20 square miles of fixed wireless coverage to provide 1,000 unserved locations within Levy County with minimum upload and download speeds of 100/20 Mbps.
Chipley and Vernon cities; Towns of Wausau and Caryville ($2,493,000) — to add 616 square miles of fixed wireless coverage to provide 9,904 unserved locations within Washington County with minimum upload and download speeds of 100/20 Mbps.
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