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Alabama has been ranked 24th in the country for internet access, according to Broadbandnow.com. In order to improve this ranking and increase broadband access across the state, Governor Kay Ivey and Kenneth Boswell, Director of Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, have announced plans to invest federal funding into expanding high-speed internet access.

Governor Ivey revealed that over 0 million in federal funding, along with .4 billion from the U.S. Department of Commerce Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program (BEAD), will be used to expand access to high-speed internet in Alabama. Additionally, the governor announced the launch of Be Linked Alabama, a hub representing the state’s efforts to expand internet access.

The funds will support “last-mile” projects, which provide the necessary connections to homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions. The application period for these grants is expected to open next week and close in October. The Anchor Institution/Middle Mile (AIMM) program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, will provide infrastructure and support for internet service providers to facilitate last-mile deployment. The application dates for the AIMM program will be announced soon.

While progress has been made, Boswell acknowledged that more work is needed to fully connect all Alabamians to high-speed internet. He praised the collaboration between public officials, private sector companies, and communities in working towards this goal.

The rankings for Alabama’s internet access included metrics such as broadband internet access, low-priced plan access, and average download speed. Currently, 89.8% of the population has access to broadband internet, 46.3% have access to low-priced plans, and the average download speed is 80.7 Mbps. Alabama has a total of 166 internet providers.

To learn more about the Be Linked Alabama initiative, visit the official website at broadband.alabama.gov. The website provides the Alabama Broadband Map, county profiles, dashboards, and statewide broadband news.

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