Governor Ron DeSantis Awards More Than $247 Million Through the Broadband Infrastructure Program

Connecting more than 59,000 Unserved and Underserved Businesses, Homes, Farms and Anchor Institutions Like Hospitals and Libraries to High-Speed Internet  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded more than $247 million through the Broadband Infrastructure Program, connecting more than 59,000 unserved and underserved businesses, homes, farms and anchor institutions like hospitals and libraries to high-speed Internet. Infrastructure deployment through 63 strategic projects in 43 Florida counties ensures that Florida residents have reliable and efficient access to workforce, education and health monitoring opportunities for generations to come. These awards are in addition to more than $226 million in Broadband Opportunity Grant Funding already awarded to 53 counties awards to expand broadband Internet access to unserved areas across the state, connecting more than 250,000 homes and businesses. Additional funding will become available this year through new and existing programs.“High-speed broadband Internet is important infrastructure for Florida communities and will generate economic development activity and a talented labor force,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida is proud to make investments in broadband Internet infrastructure that will benefit all Floridians and make long-term impacts in communities across the state.” “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida is expanding broadband Internet to small and rural areas of the state that will now have new accsess to critical resources,” said Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Secretary J. Alex Kelly. “Broadband Internet infrastructure will change the landscape and quality of life for Florida families and businesses, connecting them to workforce training, jobs, educational resources and telehealth services.” The Florida Department of Commerce (FloridaCommerce) is hosting a series of public workshops to hear directly from Floridians about barriers to accessing broadband Internet service in their communities. The workshops will help inform Florida’s plan to access funding for the expansion of broadband Internet service, and the deployment of online devices and digital skills training. Find more information on the public workshops here.The following projects will be awarded through the Broadband Infrastructure Program: Cities of Newberry and Archer – ($3,393,309.75) to add 69 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 255 unserved locations within Alachua and Levy counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 gigabyte per second (1GB). Cities of Archer, Hawthorne and Micanopy – ($21,290,000) to add 783 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 5,799 unserved locations within Alachua, Marion and Putnam counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Ebro, Panama City and Wewahitchka – ($19,594,367.84) to add 1500.28 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 2,145 unserved locations within Bay, Calhoun, Gulf and Washington counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated area East of Crosby Lake and the corridors of N County Roads 225, 229 and 301 and NW County Road 233 – ($740,000) to add 40.12 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 815 unserved locations within Bradford County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Selman, town of Altha, and unincorporated communities of McNeal and Round Lake – ($604,041) to add 16.5 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 99 unserved locations within Calhoun County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. The unincorporated areas of Rotunda and Cleveland and parts of Charlotte County – ($3,085,000) to add 96.49 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 805 unserved locations within Charlotte County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Burnt Store Road corridor and US41/I75 corridors — ($2,160,000) to add 92.1 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,268 unserved locations within Charlotte County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Town of Penney Farms, City of Keystone Heights and the unincorporated communities of Virginia Village, Kingsley Lake, and corridors of State Roads 16, 315, and 17 – ($1,590,000) to add 115.71 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,498 unserved locations within Clay County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Town of Penney Farms, City of Keystone Heights and the unincorporated communities of Virginia Village, Kingsley Lake, and corridors of State Roads 16, 315, and 17 – ($825,000) to add 61.93 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 730 unserved locations within Clay County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Immokalee – ($122,000) to add 61.93 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 242 unserved locations within Collier County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Columbia County — ($3,435,521) to add 110 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,572 unserved locations within Columbia, Alachua and Union counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Fort White – ($3,348,337) to add 143 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,702 unserved locations within Columbia, Gilchrist, Suwannee and Alachua counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Town of Fort White, and the unincorporated areas of Five Points and Lake City– ($2,225,000) to add 65.36 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 555 unserved locations within Columbia County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated areas in the Town of Fort White, and in the areas of Five Points and West of Lake City – ($2,680,000) to add 86.1 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 700 unserved locations within Columbia County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated areas in the Town of Fort White, and in the areas of Five Points and West of Lake City — ($2,540,000) to add 77.01 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 631 unserved locations within Columbia County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated areas in the Town of Fort White, and in the areas of Five Points and West of Lake City — ($2,260,000) to add 61.8 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 386 unserved locations within Columbia County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated areas of Arcadia/East and Pine Level – ($2,550,000) to add 82.48 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 634 unserved locations within DeSoto County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Arcadia and Hull – ($3,490,000) to add 98.58 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 689 unserved locations within DeSoto County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated community of Nocatee – ($2,600,000) to add 72.35 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 453 unserved locations within DeSoto County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Area of Gonzalez – ($1,444,738.50) to add 20 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 78 unserved locations within Escambia County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Bunnell, areas of Bakersburg and Codys Corner, and unincorporated communities of Espanola, Korona, Dupont, Favoretta and Country Acres – ($751,793.25) to add 13.8 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 79 unserved locations within Flagler County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Apalachicola – ($825,075) to add 10.11 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 373 unserved locations within Franklin County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Havana and Quincy – ($1,826,626) to add 134.46 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 3,674 unserved locations within Gadsden County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Reston Community – ($172,277.72) to add 6.46 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 152 unserved locations within Gadsden County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Wauchula and unincorporated areas around Wauchula and the areas of Ona and Limestone – ($323,000) to add 44.11 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 278 unserved locations within Hardee County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Wauchula and unincorporated areas around Wauchula, town of Zolfo Springs and the area of Gardner – ($1,185,000) to add 163.77 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,007 unserved locations within Hardee County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Sebring – ($10,512,009.74) to add 1365.93 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 2,625 unserved locations within Hendry, Highlands, Glades and Okeechobee counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated community of Spring Lake – ($29,078) to add 4.5 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 79 unserved locations within Hernando County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Community of Crystal Lake – ($4,700,358.31) to add 5.9 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 520 unserved locations within Highlands County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Avon Park and Sebring and the town of Lake Placid – ($2,100,000) to add 95.83 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,118 unserved locations within Highlands County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Fellsmere and Vero Beach and the area of Vero Beach South – ($1,900,000) to add 94.9 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 661 unserved locations within Indian River County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Bonita Springs – ($612,830) to add 6.9 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 328 unserved locations within Lee County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 100/100 megabits per second (Mbps). City of Fort Myers, the unincorporated areas of Lehigh Acres, North Fort Myers, Alva and Olga – ($2,050,000) to add 68.31 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,196 unserved locations within Lee County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Williston, town of Bronson, and areas of East Bronson, Raleigh, East Williston, Williston Highlands and Morriston – ($4,828,110) to add 195 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 3,444 unserved locations within Levy County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Chiefland – ($3,460,000) to add 204 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 2,580 unserved locations within Levy County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Marion County – ($4,779,127) to add 88 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 935 unserved locations within Marion and Putnam counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated area of Silver Springs Shores and the unincorporated community of Ocklawaha – ($15,841,522) to add 231 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 3,296 unserved locations within Marion and Lake counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated area of Palm City – ($1,360,000) to add 30.74 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 484 unserved locations within Martin County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Miami-Dade County – ($610,000) to add 17.77 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 152 unserved locations within Miami-Dade County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Ingle and Gross, and unincorporated communities of Dyal, Lessie, Evergreen, Bryceville, and Becker, and Portions of SR 121, and the US 301 corridor – ($3,265,000) to add 70.28 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 639 unserved locations within Nassau County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Ingle and Gross, and unincorporated communities of Dyal, Lessie, Evergreen, Bryceville, and Becker, and Portions of SR 121, and the US 301 corridor – ($1,775,000) to add 39.74 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 259 unserved locations within Nassau County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Ingle and Gross, and unincorporated communities of Dyal, Lessie, Evergreen, Bryceville, and Becker, and Portions of SR 121, and the US 301 corridor – ($2,326,165.50) to add 48.21 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 314 unserved locations within Nassau County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Ingle and Gross, and unincorporated communities of Dyal, Lessie, Evergreen, Bryceville, and Becker, and Portions of SR 121, and the US 301 corridor – ($1,635,000) to add 41.92 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 388 unserved locations within Nassau County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Laurel Hill – ($1,035,920) to add 30 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 161 unserved locations within Okaloosa and Walton counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Okaloosa County – ($17,780,940.75) to add 242 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 2,057 unserved locations within Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Basinger and Fort Drum and areas of Palm Village Ranch– ($1,620,000) to add 115.63 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,304 unserved locations within Okeechobee County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated Community of Loxahatchee – ($2,532,000) to add 39.03 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 357 unserved locations within Palm Beach County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Village of Wellington – ($1,340,000) to add 19.55 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 165 unserved locations within Palm Beach County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Putnam County – ($1,585,150) to add 65 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 769 unserved locations within Putnam County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Bostwick and Bardin, the towns of Edgar and Florahome, and the communities of Whiteville and Georgetown — ($3,060,074.25) to add 68 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 441 unserved locations within Putnam County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Bostwick and Bardin, the towns of Edgar and Florahome, and the communities of Whiteville and Georgetown – ($1,725,000) to add 44.32 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 512 unserved locations within Putnam County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB.Cities of Bostwick and Bardin, the towns of Edgar and Florahome, and the communities of Whiteville and Georgetown– ($1,375,000) to add 34.55 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 371 unserved locations within Putnam County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. City of Bardin, the towns of Edgar and Florahome, and the communities of Whiteville and Georgetown – ($1,500,000) to add 75.73 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,421 unserved locations within Putnam County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Town of Jay and unincorporated areas of Allentown, Dixonville, Munson, Pine Level, Springhill, Bagdad and Whitfield, and unincorporated communities of Dickerson, Avalon, Mulat, East Milton, Roeville and Harold – ($24,752,619.75) to add 248 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 2,343 unserved locations within Santa Rosa County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Town of Jay and unincorporated areas of Allentown, Dixonville, Munson, Pine Level, Springhill and Whitfield – ($9,648,409.48) to add 756.1 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 217 unserved locations within Santa Rosa County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Unincorporated town of Nokomis and unincorporated area of Englewood – ($743,022) to add 9.86 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 90 unserved locations within Sarasota County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Myakka State Park – ($705,088.35) to add 7.75 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 23 unserved locations within Sarasota County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Palm Coast and St. Augustine and the town of Hastings – ($1,403,283.75) to add 25.8 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 141 unserved locations within St. Johns and Flagler counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie — ($2,028,750) to add 41.59 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 396 unserved locations within St. Lucie County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie and the Treasure Coast Airpark — ($1,386,614.25) to add 21.09 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 183 unserved locations within St. Lucie County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Coleman, Bushnell, Center Hill, Webster, Wildwood, the unincorporated communities of Adamsville, Sumterville, Croom, Nobleton, the village of Whitney, the areas of Village of Collier, Lake Panasoffkee and the town of Mabel – ($3,491,131) to add 115.1 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 831 unserved locations within Sumter County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Live Oak, Fort Union, Lake City, Greenfield, Jasper, Buckville and Hatchbend, the towns of Branford, Jennings, Mayo, White Springs, and the unincorporated communities of Dowling Park, O’Brien, McAlpin, Rixford, and Day– ($22,615,314.97) to add 2072.42 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,640 unserved locations within Suwannee, Hamilton, Columbia and Lafayette counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. Cities of Deltona and Debary and unincorporated areas, communities and villages of DeLeon Springs, Tomoka Woods, Barberville, Seville, Butler Groves, Samsula-Spruce Creek, Indian Springs, Deltona Lakes, Deltona Commons, Boden, Osteen, Pennichaw and Creighton – ($329,448.75) to add 6.2 miles of cable to provide 31 unserved locations within Volusia County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB. For more information about the Broadband Infrastructure Program, please visit the Broadband Infrastructure Program webpage.###