Florida Expands Broadband Access Program

BOWLING GREEN — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced nearly $223 million in state and federal funding to expand broadband internet access across Florida, mainly in small and rural communities.

The awards through the Broadband Opportunity Program will support 54 projects in 33 Florida counties for broadband internet expansion that will provide internet to over 27,000 residential, educational, agricultural, business and community locations, the governor’s office said.

Additional funding through the Multipurpose Facility Program will support 29 community infrastructure projects including health clinics, schools and workforce development programs providing internet to Floridians across 18 counties.

"Connecting Florida’s small and rural communities to broadband internet will help them find jobs, access education resources and expand their businesses,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. "We will continue to make investments in broadband internet that support long-term growth for our communities, without federally imposed strings attached."

The new fiber optics lines can improve internet speeds, which will help local homeowners and remote workers. Some of the community awards include:

• Southeast Arcadia ($4,997,588) to add 13 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 497 unserved locations within DeSoto County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 gigabyte per second (GB).
• Cities of Cedar Key and Chiefland, Towns of Otter Creek and Inglis, and Unincorporated Communities of Gulf Hammock, Old Town, Rosewood, Summer and Suwannee ($5,000,000) to add 1,096.91 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,238 unserved locations within Dixie and Levy Counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
• Cities of Hampton and Starke ($5,000,000) to add 89 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 960 unserved locations within Bradford County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
• Unincorporated Communities of Marion Oaks, Ocklawaha and Silver Springs ($2,428,013) to add 122.12 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,061 unserved locations within Marion County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
• Unincorporated Community of Rainbow Lake Estates ($1,043,858) to add 49.17 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 668 unserved locations within Marion County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
• Cities of Okeechobee and Sebring; Unincorporated Community of Lorida ($5,000,000) to add 795 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,195 unserved locations within Highlands and Okeechobee Counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
• Towns of Jay and Pine Level; Unincorporated Communities of Berrydale, Brownsdale, Dixonville, Mount Carmel, Munson, Springhill, Walnut Hill and Whitfield ($2,615,434.62) to add 1,015 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,193 unserved locations within Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
• City of Mascotte; Town of Astatula; Unincorporated Communities of Astor and Astor Park ($2,007,768) to add 71.94 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,272 unserved locations within Lake County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.

The funding builds on DeSantis’ earlier announcement of more than $226 million in funding for projects across 53 Florida counties, connecting more than 250,000 homes and businesses to the internet.

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