Tag Archives: Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program

More about NTIA’s WI-based Dairyland award helping MN Counties too

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Last week, I reported on the Dairyland Power getting an NTIA awards to serve counties in Wisconsin (primarily), Iowa and Minnesota. Wis Business posted more about the project…

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has awarded a $14.89 million Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant to Dairyland Power Cooperative to expand internet access in underserved rural communities.

Dairyland applied for the grant in 2022 to support the communities served by its member cooperatives in rural Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Through this grant, 240 miles of Dairyland’s transmission network will be retrofitted with optical ground wire (OPGW) during its Tri-State Fiber Deployment Project. The majority of the fiber optic installation is expected to be completed within two years.

NTIA awards $930M for broadband: MN will benefit from one award

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The NITA (Internet for All) reports…

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced $930,021,354.34 to expand middle mile high-speed Internet infrastructure across 35 states and Puerto Rico as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All Initiative, the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program invests in projects that build regional networks that connect to national Internet networks.

More info on the award in Minnesota:

Dairyland Power Cooperative
Tri-State Fiber Deployment Project (TSFDP)
Total Project cost: $30,387,913.86
Primary State: WI
Secondary States: MN IA
Counties/Islands Impacted: Barron, Polk, Burnett, and Washburn Counties in Wisconsin, Winneshiek and Mitchell Counties in Iowa, and Fillmore, Freeborn, and Mower Counties in Minnesota.
Purpose: Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) will implement its Tri-State Fiber Deployment Project (TSFDP), which will retrofit 240.23 miles of fiber optic communications network using mostly optical ground wire (OPGW) on DPCs transmission lines in 3 years. Through the TSFDP, last mile providers in these regions will have enhanced capacity to reach unserved and unserved residents at affordable rates and help bridge the nations digital divide.

More info on the awards…

New Middle Mile Grants

  • The middle mile projects will cover over 350 counties across 35 states and Puerto Rico.
  • The projects will deploy over 12,000 miles of new fiber that will pass within 1,000 feet of 6,961 community anchor institutions.
  • All projects use future-proof fiber as the primary technology.
  • Awardees are investing an additional $848.46 million of outside match funding into the projects.
  • Grants span from $2.7 million to $88.8 million, with an average award amount of $26.6 million.

Background on the Enabling Middle Mile Grant Program

  • Over 260 applications were submitted totaling $7.47 billion in funding requests.
  • Applications for the Middle Mile program were due by September 30, 2022. NTIA extended the application deadline to Nov. 1, 2022, for eligible entities that submitted applications for projects that would deploy in certain areas impacted by natural disasters.
  • To raise awareness of the program and guide prospective applicants, NTIA performed extensive outreach, including hosting 12 public office hour sessions, conducting four public webinars for prospective applicants, and participating in six industry-led conferences to discuss the Middle Mile program.
  • Eligible awardees for the program included states, Tribal governments, utility companies, telecommunication companies, and nonprofit entities. For a full list of eligible entities visit InternetForAll.Gov.

More awards will be announced as applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

EVENT June 30: NTIA’s Middle Mile Application Information Webinar

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From NTIA…

Title: Internet for All Webinar Series – Applicant Portion of the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program Application

Date: Thursday, June 30, 2022

Time: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM ET
Description: This webinar will provide an in-depth look at how eligible entities can access the NTIA Grants Portal and apply for the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program. This webinar will also provide applicants with technical assistance and prepare them to write high-quality applications. With $1 billion in funding, the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program provides funding for this vital part of our nation’s high-speed network and will reduce the cost of bringing high-speed internet to unserved and underserved communities.

Register Now

Register for more of our upcoming Internet For All webinar series sessions:

 

Please note: all webinars will occur from 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM ET. All presentations and recordings will be available on the BroadbandUSA website under the Past Events tab approximately 24 to 48 hours after a webinar ends. 

For any questions about our Internet For All Webinar Series, please email InternetForAll@ntia.gov.