Capitalize on New Federal Funding for Expanding Broadband Services

The passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act promises to deliver, among other things, $65 billion to help ensure that every American has access to reliable, high-speed internet. For state, county and municipal officials, that will mean a rare opportunity to ensure that broadband is deployed to the unconnected and that the unconnected have access to online services. But it will also mean getting the right help to ensure those investments are reliable and deliver on the promise of community engagement. While the investment opportunity is significant, broadband networks are expensive, and the new funds will only go so far. So, to ensure the broadband buildouts are effective, the funds must be prioritized to unserved areas and not wasted on subsidizing some duplicative network, says Michael Brady, SVP of Government Affairs, Comcast Cable, in a new StateScoop interview. He explains critical steps state and local agencies can take to help with their planning, like consulting with broadband providers to develop a program that’s committed to digital equity. Terry Connell, SVP of Sales and Sales Operations, Comcast Business, also explains the benefits of diversifying broadband providers’ portfolios and the importance of having the right partners to collaborate for increased local expertise and flexibility while removing redundancy. Learn more about how Comcast is helping public sector leaders take advantage of the new wave of broadband infrastructure investment funding.