Spectrum announced Tuesday, March 19, that it has been awarded an Alabama Capital Projects Fund Grant of more than $1.4 million to bring gigabit high-speed internet access to nearly 800 homes and small businesses in Etowah County. Combined with the state grant, the total project investment, including nearly $3.3 million from Spectrum, is nearly $4.7 million.
“Thanks to the state’s latest ARPA grants, Etowah County families and businesses will finally have access to reliable and fast internet,” said state Senator Andrew Jones. “Spectrum’s network expansion to our most rural communities will provide new opportunities in education, telehealth, jobs and economic growth.”
The grant is one of 23 grants awarded to Spectrum to expand fiber-optic broadband infrastructure to areas of the state that currently lack access to high-speed connections. The grants will bring broadband to nearly 21,000 additional homes and small businesses across Alabama.
“In this digital age, the internet is needed to keep families connected, businesses running, and healthcare needs met,” said State Representative Craig Lipscomb. “With the latest ARPA grants, Etowah County residents will soon have high-speed internet and access through Spectrum – a win for our rural communities.”
Alabama’s Capital Projects Grants further expand Spectrum’s rural construction initiative, the centerpiece of which is the company’s approximately $5 billion investment in unserved rural communities, which includes more than $1 billion won in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction. The company’s RDOF expansion will provide broadband access to 1.3 million customer locations across 24 states.
“Governor [Kay] Ivey, her administration and the Alabama Legislature have shown tremendous leadership in embracing public-private partnerships as a vital strategy for connecting unserved communities,” said Taylor Vice, Sr. Director of Government Affairs at Charter. “We applaud Alabama officials in helping us bridge the digital divide and make a meaningful difference for residents.”
Spectrum currently serves 654,000 customers in Alabama and employs more than 1,200 residents in the state.