On Friday, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) Executive Director Brandon Carson announced that more than $448 million in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants have been awarded to projects in 50 counties across the Commonwealth. This is the first round of awards since the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved more than $711 million in BEAD funding for Pennsylvania back in April. The revised federal guidelines and submissions allowed for greater access at lower costs, which enables more household connections in PA with those limited dollars. The remaining funds are to be awarded before the end of the year.  

The projects announced are intended to bring reliable, affordable, high-speed internet to homes, businesses, schools, libraries, and other community facilities across the Commonwealth and expand access in areas that have long lacked adequate broadband service. The funding will support broadband projects including fiber and fixed wireless. Click here to see the awardees, number of locations that will be served, and counties that will receive service. 

The Governor also announced the creation of a new website allowing Pennsylvanians who do not yet have access to high-speed internet to track when PBDA estimates they’ll receive a connection here. That website is available at pa.gov/ConnectPA