Alabama getting $1.4 billion for broadband access expansion

More Alabamians than ever will be capable of experiencing the internet at its full potential thanks to $1.4 billion in funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said this money will help improve the lives of Alabamians, especially those living in rural areas.

“My priority is for Alabama to gain full ability to be connected to high-speed internet,” Ivey said in a statement. “We have taken several significant strides toward this goal, and today’s announcement provides a tremendous boost in the journey toward full broadband access no matter where you live in Alabama.”

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs’ Alabama Digital Expansion Division is managing the project, which is also getting funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund.

Internet service providers will be getting funding to extend service in areas that don’t have high-speed internet.

Once all the ABAF projects with awarded funding are complete, more than 82,000 households and businesses will have access to broadband.

Rural areas without access to broadband have few options for internet service, and Alabamians outside the more populous counties that do have broadband access most likely can’t get the highest tiers of service.

That means it’s much harder for residents in these areas to do things like work from home, stream movies or play games, download and share data or participate in virtual activities.

These expansion projects will increase availability of broadband in rural areas, but residents will still have to purchase service.

Curious about what’s available in your area? You can check what’s available where you live right here.

According to broadbandnow.com, in West Alabama:

• Bibb County
  • 73.8% have access to 25+ mbps service
  • 40.6% have access to 100+ mbps service
  • 13.5% have access to 1+ gig service
• Fayette County:
  • 46.8% have access to 25+ mbps service
  • 8.3% have access to 100+mbps service
  • 6.8% have access to 1+ gig service
• Greene County
  • 23.2% have access to 25+ mbps service
  • 0.12% have access to 100+mbps service
  • 0% have access to 1+ gig service
• Hale County
  • 58.8% have access to 25+ mbps service
  • 51% have access to 100+ mbps service
  • 29.7% have access to 1+ gig service
• Pickens County:
  • 71.8% have access to 25+ mbps service
  • 63.5% have access to 100+ mbps service
  • 1.5% have access to 1+ gig service
• Sumter County
  • 52.6% have access to 25+ mbps service
  • 48.5% have access to 100+ mbps service
  • 48.5% have access to 1+ gig service
• Tuscaloosa County:
  • 95.7% have access to 25+ mbps service
  • 95.2% have access to 100+ mbps service
  • 72.5% have access to 1+ gig service
• Walker County:
  • 86.7% have access to 25+ mbps service
  • 81.6% have access to 100+ mbps service
  • 5.4% have access to 1+ gig service