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The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) has delivered a five-year action plan to expand internet access and bridge the “digital divide” between regions with excellent internet service and areas where residents lack access. The plan has been submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for approval as part of the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

The main objective of the plan is to ensure that every resident of the commonwealth has access to affordable, high-speed internet. Currently, more than 276,000 households in Pennsylvania do not have internet access. By implementing this plan, PBDA aims to overcome obstacles to full deployment, improve digital access, promote equity, remove barriers to services and devices, build resilience within the system, and highlight the benefits of internet connectivity.

To develop the plan, PBDA gathered input from 21 community conversations held across the state, which involved over 500 participants. Additionally, three roundtable sessions were conducted with digital equity stakeholders, workforce development professionals, and internet service providers. A survey collected 5,920 responses, and during the public comment period, 526 comments were received on the draft action plan.

The comprehensive 88-page report provides insights into the current state of broadband service, identifies obstacles and barriers to expansion, and presents a detailed implementation plan. The plan includes a crew calculator, estimating that 116,807 workers in 38,344 engineering, site acquisition, and installation crews will be required to install internet solutions at 333,133 unserved and underserved locations over five years.

The vision outlined in the report is to provide unserved and underserved homes and businesses with secure, high-speed broadband internet services. This would bring numerous benefits in terms of health, education, economy, and security to those who currently lack access. Achieving this goal will require community collaboration and partnerships, similar to what happened in 1935 when the federal Rural Electrification Administration was created to bring electricity to rural areas.

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