$110 Million Dollars to Expand Broadband in Rural Maine

The State of Maine will receive $110 million dollars of federal funds to expand broadband coverage.

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) -

The State of Maine will receive $110 million dollars of federal funds to expand broadband coverage.

The Funding comes from the American Rescue Plan and would flow to the Maine Connectivity Authority which manages a competitive broadband grant program. Andrew Butcher, President of the Maine Connectivity Authority says this funding will go a long ways towards the state’s 2024 broadband goal.

“Some of our most rural counties in the state are going to see the most amount of impact from these resources. In a place like Maine where we have a lot of space and not a lot of humans providing some degree of support for connectivity in places like Aroostook County, Washington County, Oxford County, Piscataquis, Penobscot, Waldo. Our most rural counties have some of the most amount of need given the challenges of private service providers in providing connectivity in those places.”

Butcher went on to say the funds will also be used to improve existing system and use multiple strategies to connect some of Maine’s most rural communities. He also said that the $110 million received here will be combined with other federal and state funding, totaling over $150 million dollars.