Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday laid out how more than $400 million in federal funds and over $1.4 billion from the U.S. Department of Commerce Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) will be used to expand access to high-speed internet across Alabama.

Ivey also unveiled the brand “Be Linked Alabama” representing the state’s continued efforts to expand access to high-speed internet.

“Providing broadband connectivity to every Alabamian, whether it be in our largest metros or most rural areas, has been a top priority of the Ivey Administration since day one,” the governor said in a news release following an event in Dothan. “As we launch Be Linked Alabama today, we are furthering our commitment to fully connecting our state.”

The new brand comes alongside significant investments made possible by federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act that were allocated by the Alabama Legislature in 2022 and 2023 to support expansion of high-speed internet to unserved areas of the state.

During the event in Dothan, Ivey announced the upcoming opening of grant applications for $182 million from the Capital Projects Fund to support “last-mile” projects that provide the actual connections to homes, businesses and community anchor institutions. The application period is expected to open Monday, Aug. 14, and close in October.

Gov. Kay Ivey announces the latest developments in efforts to expand broadband access in the state. (Governor’s Office)

Additionally, the state’s new Anchor Institution/Middle Mile (AIMM) program will be funded with the second round of American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated during the 2023 legislative session. More than $200 million will support this effort, which will potentially serve 500 anchor facilities – including institutions such as colleges and universities, rural hospitals and government facilities that are inadequately served, along with “middle-mile” deployment that will provide the infrastructure to help facilitate last-mile deployment by internet service providers. Application dates for the AIMM program are slated to be announced Friday, Aug. 11.

Be Linked Alabama represents the state’s coordinated effort to expand access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet to all Alabamians. The statewide initiative is coordinated by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and brings together partners from across the state, including internet service providers, research institutions, utility companies, and community leaders, the governor’s news release said. Alabama Power is among the partners in efforts to expand broadband access.

Ivey also unveiled the Be Linked Alabama website, broadband.alabama.gov, which is designed to serve as a hub of internet expansion information. It includes an Alabama broadband map, county profiles and dashboards, and statewide broadband news.

“We have a great team in Alabama that includes public officials such as our governor and members of the Legislature, private sector companies, citizens, local leaders and communities all joining together with a common goal – to give every Alabamian the ability to be connected,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said in the news release.

“Our state has already made tremendous progress on our journey to expand high-speed internet availability by providers, but we still have a long way to go. Be Linked Alabama represents the progress that we have made, and the continued progress still to come,” Boswell said.

Since 2018, Alabama has invested $88.6 million in state dollars through grant awards supporting 109 projects through the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund, the news release said. Once all the projects awarded to date have been completed, access to internet service will be available to more than 82,000 Alabama households, businesses and community institutions that do not have access to high-speed internet, the release said.

In addition to today’s announcements, Ivey announced in June that Alabama will receive a $1.4 billion allocation from the federal BEAD Program to boost ongoing efforts to expand access to unserved areas. ADECA will complete and submit Alabama’s required plan for use of the funds to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

The announcement in Dothan included a demonstration from students trained at Wallace Community College on how to deploy fiber optic cables needed for high-speed internet delivery. This training was developed through the Alabama Community College System’s Innovation Center and brings together state community colleges, industries and community partners to deliver training at no cost.

To learn more about Alabama Power’s use of fiber to strengthen reliability and support efforts to bridge the digital divide, click here.