NH lands $197M for broadband expansion

Alejandro Orta of Aerial & Underground Construction runs fiber-optic cable on Bridge Street in Manchester last Thursday.

New Hampshire is set to receive more than $196.5 million as part of an effort to make sure all Americans have access to high-speed internet by 2030.

Right now, New Hampshire has more than 49,500 homes with no internet access, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

The grant is part of President Joe Biden’s $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which is part of the larger bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The state received nine proposals last month for a third-party to come up with a five-year action plan. The subgrant will be offered for $1.9 million under the BEAD program, according to the state Department of Business and Economic Affairs.

“New Hampshire has been leading the way when it comes to bringing high speed broadband to all regions of the state and getting us toward 100% accessibility as quickly as possible,” said Commissioner Taylor Caswell in a statement.

The grants will create thousands of jobs in updating infrastructure, according to a news release.

“Whether it’s connecting people to the digital economy, manufacturing fiber-optic cable in America, or creating good paying jobs building Internet infrastructure in the states, the investments we’re announcing will increase our competitiveness and spur economic growth across the country for years to come,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement.

The latest $196.5 million grant is above and beyond $122 million the state received from the American Rescue Plan, which was in part distributed to internet service providers.

In February, Consolidated Communications won a $40 million grant from the state of New Hampshire to expand fiber broadband service to 24,757 un- and underserved locations across seven counties.

Last October, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) received a $50 million grant to expand its fiber-optic broadband internet service to more than 23,000 homes, businesses and municipalities in 73 New Hampshire towns, according to a news release.

The department also received a $525,000 digital equity planning grant.

“Ensuring our residents and businesses, regardless of location, can access the digital economy is a top priority for our team,” Caswell said. “These additional resources will allow us to capitalize on our successes and drive this top priority forward.”

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