The Idaho Broadband Advisory Board (IBAB) has allocated $120 million from the Idaho Capital Projects Fund to support 18 broadband initiatives across the state. That investment is set to benefit over 30,000 homes and businesses in Idaho.
Working in collaboration with the state government, the advisory board targeted broadband projects that enhance key areas such as distance learning, telehealth, telework, economic development and public safety.
Two of the biggest winners in the grant round were counties in the state. Latah County's Dark Fiber Network pocketed $15 million, and Madison County was awarded around $13.6 million.
Idaho County and Jerome County also each received more than $10 million.
Other winners included Ziply Fiber, which received over $10 million across two locations, as well as Comcast, Whitecloud Communications, Fybercom, Intermax Networks, MiFiber, Kaniksu, Custer Telephone Cooperative and Whitecloud Communications.
Idaho Broadband Program Manager Ramón Hobdey-Sánchez said the grants are “the culmination of months working together and engaging stakeholders, local communities and internet providers all across the state.”
The federal Capital Projects Fund (CPF) provides $10 billion to states, territories, freely associated states, and Tribal governments to fund “critical capital projects.” The Idaho awards meet the CPF criteria and will improve internet connectivity in unserved and underserved locations.
The Link Up initiative, spearheaded by Idaho's broadband advisory board in coordination with the Idaho Department of Commerce and Idaho Office of Information Technology Services, is dedicated to gathering information about connectivity challenges in Idaho communities. Through the initiative, the board aims to inform Idahoans about broadband availability and disperse grants to enhance broadband access.
The advisory board is also involved in forming the state’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) plans. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) allocated over $583 million to Idaho under the BEAD program to expand broadband infrastructure across the state.
The BEAD Initial Proposal requires states to submit two separate volumes to the NTIA. Volume 1 is focused on the eligible entity’s challenge process, and Volume II consists of the remainder of the eligible entity’s BEAD implementation plan.
The NTIA released a tracker for the BEAD milestones which shows each state’s progress. The dashboard allows the public to track how eligible entities for BEAD are progressing through the “major milestones” necessary to submit their initial proposal by the December 27, 2023 due date.
Idaho is one of 30 states and territories that have so far completed four out of eight phases in the BEAD proposal process.