The Buildout: Mississippi awards $21.6M to AT&T, Comcast, others

Mississippi awarded $21.6 million for broadband projects that will connect 12,300 homes and businesses across the state. According to a press release from Gov. Tate Reeves' office, funding went to AT&T, Comcast and C Spire, as well as local provider ACE Fiber and electric cooperative TVEPA. Funding for these projects came from the US Treasury Department's capital projects fund, via the American Rescue Plan, and was administered by the office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi (BEAM). Mississippi this week also had its initial proposal approved by the NTIA for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, allowing the state to gain access to $1.2 billion in BEAD funds.

The state of New Mexico this week awarded $40 million for broadband projects through its Connect New Mexico office, with funding from the capital projects fund. Grants went to Comcast ($12.5 million for four projects) and Resound Networks ($8.1 million for three projects), as well as local service providers and cooperatives.

Shentel's Glo Fiber said it will build a fiber network in Jefferson County, Ohio. According to a press release, the company will deploy broadband services to roughly 15,000 homes and businesses across the regions of Steubenville, Mingo Junction, Wintersville and surrounding areas. The news follows other recent announcements from Glo Fiber that it will expand in the Ohio regions of Greenfield and Zanesville.

unWired Broadband has started connecting customers to its network in Coalinga, California. The $11 million project kicked off construction in April 2024, with the first customers coming online earlier this week. In total, 4,874 addresses will gain access to the fixed wireless network once complete. According to unWired, the company has over 200 towers deployed throughout California, including two in Coalinga. Earlier this year, unWired announced a partnership with Tarana Wireless for its California deployments.

Consolidated Communications has started construction to bring its Fidium Fiber network to Port St. Joe, Perry and Blountstown, Florida. Service is expected to launch for "thousands" in the coming months, with work ongoing through 2025. Meanwhile, in Maine, the company announced progress on its construction in Wilton, with an additional 1,200 addresses now able to get service (bringing the total to 4,200); as well as in Pittsfield, where Fidium Fiber is now available to 2,400 homes and businesses. Fidium Fiber also launched for 900 homes and businesses in the Washington County, Maine, regions of Princeton, Big Lake Township, Grand Lake Stream Plantation, Kossuth Township, Lambert Lake, Talmadge, Topsfield, Vanceboro, Waite and parts of Indian Township Reservation.

California's Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) awarded $237 million last week for last-mile broadband projects as part of the state's $2 billion Last Mile Federal Funding Account Grant Program. Funding recipients included AT&T ($30.1 million), Comcast ($26.5 million) and Frontier ($23 million), with the remaining funds going to local providers, tribal governments, municipalities and counties. The projects are expected to connect 29,669 locations. The state further recommended approving $174.4 million in grants for other last-mile broadband projects, to be voted on in September. In addition to awarding millions for last-mile builds, California this week also kicked off construction on a statewide middle mile network.