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Expanding broadband internet access in rural areas of Pennsylvania is a significant undertaking that will require billions of dollars and thousands of workers. The newly adopted action plan by the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority outlines the efforts needed to make high-speed internet universally available within the next five years.

The total cost of building out high-speed internet infrastructure in Pennsylvania is estimated to be around .1 billion. A significant portion of this funding, .16 billion, comes from the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which is part of President Joe Biden’s “Internet for All” initiative. These funds will be dispersed starting in 2024.

Additional funding is available through a combination of federal and state funds, including 8.7 million from the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and 0 million from Pennsylvania’s Capital Projects Fund provided by the U.S. Treasury for broadband expansion.

The goal of the plan is to provide minimum download/upload speeds of 100/20 Mbps (megabits per second). Currently, 279,085 homes, businesses, and organizations in Pennsylvania have internet service that falls below the federal minimum of 25/3 Mbps, and an additional 54,048 have service below the targeted minimum of 100/20 Mbps.

According to a national survey cited in the plan, customers on average pay to monthly for internet access, but several respondents said they could only afford a charge. Bundled packages that include internet and cable television are not feasible for many residents.

Pennsylvania lags behind national averages in terms of internet subscriptions and ownership of computing devices. The state’s diverse geographic terrain and low population density in rural communities pose additional challenges. Large portions of central, western, and southwestern Pennsylvania still lack reliable high-speed internet access.

Digital literacy is another complicating factor. While over 2 million households in Pennsylvania are eligible for the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, which helps reduce or eliminate the cost of internet service, only 31.5% of eligible households are currently utilizing this initiative.

Existing Pennsylvania law prohibits municipal and county governments from operating as internet service providers. The plan encourages local governments and regional collaboratives to partner with internet service providers (ISPs) to initiate and complete the broadband expansion.

To carry out the plan, over 116,000 workers comprising more than 38,000 crews will be necessary. However, the current workforce is not sufficient. The plan highlights the need to establish a structure, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, to develop the required workforce, including positions like fiber and wireless technicians and software engineers.

The plan estimates that 75% of the fiber cable expansion work will be aerial, with the remaining 25% underground. Last-mile aerial work will involve splicing eight locations daily to serve three homes each, while last-mile buried work will consist of four locations daily for three homes each.

For fixed wireless work, 200 broadband service locations are required. The plan states that radios to send out signals will cost ,000 each, with installation costs at ,000 each. The projected cost for customer equipment and installation is 0 combined. Additionally, the plan identifies the need for another 80 cellular towers, each costing 0,000.

Overall, the goal of expanding broadband internet access in rural Pennsylvania is a complex and costly endeavor requiring substantial funding and a significant workforce. However, the newly adopted action plan provides a roadmap for achieving universal high-speed internet access within the next five years.

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