Keystone Today

Harrisburg, PA – Over the last two weeks, Governor Josh Shapiro traveled to Beaver and Luzerne counties to highlight his Administration’s plans to expand broadband infrastructure across the Commonwealth – ensuring every community has access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet.

Last month, Governor Shapiro announced the Commonwealth will receive $1.16 billion in funding through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program as a part of President Biden’s “Internet for All” initiative. The $1.16 billion in BEAD funding will be administered by the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA).

PBDA staff and leadership have been traveling the Commonwealth, hosting community engagement events to collect feedback to shape Pennsylvania’s broadband expansion plans and digital equity programs. The PBDA wants to hear from as many Pennsylvanians as possible as it works to make Internet for All a reality in Pennsylvania and develops a five-year action plan to implement the BEAD funding. In the past two weeks alone, PBDA has hosted community engagement events in Washington, Montour, Huntingdon, Erie, Lackawanna, Somerset, York, and Centre counties.

Read what Governor Shapiro, broadband officials, and Pennsylvanians are saying about expanding broadband access across the Commonwealth:

• Governor Josh Shapiro: “When Pennsylvanians are connected to reliable broadband, they have better health outcomes, better education outcomes, and better economic outcomes. That’s why we need to invest in broadband, right now, to grow our economy and strengthen our communities. Accessible, reliable, affordable broadband is important for every community and every family across this Commonwealth – no matter your ZIP code. My Administration will continue to work with all our partners at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure that we can deliver real opportunity for every student, business, worker, and community in Pennsylvania.”
• PBDA Executive Director Brandon Carson: “The nearly $1.2 billion in federal funding is a historic win for Pennsylvania and will help provide the resources we need to finally make ‘internet for all’ a reality so Pennsylvanians can live more successful and healthier lives. Under the Governor’s leadership, the Shapiro Administration is ready to do this work to connect every Pennsylvanian to high-speed affordable internet.”
• NTIA Senior Advisor for External Affairs Barbara Cottam: “We all know the internet is not a luxury – it’s a necessity. Governor Shapiro understands this and has made providing affordable, reliable high-speed internet a priority of his administration. Importantly, he understands the jobs coming with the internet build out and has already begun providing funding for registered apprenticeship programs to train the workforce. Pennsylvania is thinking ahead.”
• President & CEO at NEPA Alliance Jeffrey Box: “We work with communities and small businesses every day that need improved internet service so they can grow business and create jobs here in Northeastern PA.”
• Pittston Memorial Library Director Jessica Lane: “We truly understand the importance and ultimate human right that it has become in the 21st century to have sufficient access to broadband services. So much of the work we do with and for our patrons relies on internet access.”

Original source can be found here.