Five Companies Expected to Share $70M for Wyoming Broadband

Wyoming has recommended five internet providers share $70 million in grants to deploy reliable internet services in the State. 

Here are the details of the news. 

Five Companies Expected to Share $70M for Wyoming Broadband

Five companies have been recommended to share $70.5 million in broadband grants from the State of Wyoming. The companies will use the funding to install high-speed broadband in over 11,000 locations in the State and improve connectivity, especially in rural areas. 

In a statement, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon said, “These federal funds will ensure Wyoming communities and businesses that currently lack access to high-quality internet will be equipped with the modern infrastructure they need to access critical services.” 

Of the five, Charter Communications is expected to receive the highest funding recommendation, $21 million of the grant. Visionary Broadband is expected to receive the second-highest funding recommendation of around $18.3 million. 

Third comes the Gallatin Wireless Internet/ Celerity Networks, which is expected to receive over $16.2 million, and rural local exchange carrier Tri-County Telephone Association/ BHT Holdings will likely receive over $13.7 million in grant funding. The fifth awardee is a local provider, Range Telephone Cooperative, which was recommended for over $1.2 million.  

However, there could be some changes to the proposed recommendation when any state admits it is “recommending” companies for broadband grants. Nonetheless, the least possibility exists for such change. 

In the recent Wyoming recommendation, some awardees are expected to receive funding for multiple projects, while some receive funding for a single project. For example, Charter Communications has been granted the largest fund for its 10 projects. Gallatin Wireless Internet/ Celerity Networks and Range Telephone Cooperative are expected to get funds for their single broadband project in Wyoming. 

The grant aims to help these service providers cover some of the costs of deploying fiber broadband internet facilities in unserved locations. The companies will need to contribute the remaining balance to execute their projects. 

The Role of the American Rescue Plan Act in Wyoming’s Broadband Expansion

The recommended funding amount comes from CPF (Capital Projects Fund), a federal program initiated through the American Rescue Plan Act to assist states in investing in broadband infrastructure. The CPF provides $10 billion to eligible states, territories, freely associated states, and Tribal governments to finance digital infrastructure projects to provide high-speed, reliable internet in underserved locations. 

The CPF announced its first grant to four states at the beginning of June 2022. This grant was more than $500 million to Louisiana, New Hampshire, Virginia, and West Virginia to introduce high-speed Internet facilities to around 200,000 homes and businesses in these states. 

The CPF announced its second grant to four more states the following month, on July 14, 2022. This included the fund of $350 million to Kansas, Maine, Maryland, and Minnesota to deploy Internet services to nearly 84,000 target areas in these states. 

The State of Wyoming received $70 million through the CPF. The State has also received applications to provide more funding for broadband internet projects than is available. 

The broadband grants will help the State connect the rural or underserved/unserved communities through expanding affordable, high-speed fiber Internet.