Gov. Kay Ivey awarded the grants under the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund, which was created by the Legislature in 2018 to help rural and under-served areas.
The coronavirus pandemic has drawn attention to the need to expand broadband access, partly because public schools are closed and schools must begin using online instruction or other methods of teaching children at home.
“Availability of high-speed internet has always been vital, but the events of the past several weeks magnify just how imperative it is that all Alabamians have access to broadband,” Ivey said in a press release. “I am pleased to support these projects and look forward to the day when every household, school, healthcare facility, emergency service and business throughout Alabama is afforded broadband availability.”
The grants announced today are in response to applications submitted in late December. Additional awards from this round of applications could also be announced, the governor’s office said.
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