Washington State Broadband Office awards $14.5 million to provide one-on-one technical support, devices, and subscriptions to facilitate internet use and adoption OLYMPIA, WA — Most of us take the internet for granted, yet nearly 240,000 Washington households do not have access to high-speed internet, and 4% do not have access to a computing device. This week the Washington State Department of Commerce announced $14.5 million in grants to continue expanding…
Tag Archives: Broadband
Stay up to date on Washington’s Internet for All initiative, bringing affordable and reliable internet access to every community Olympia, WA– The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) this week announced state allocations for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. Washington received $1.23 billion to bring affordable and reliable Internet for All. These new federal funds pair with ongoing work on the state’s BEAD five-year action plan and a Statewide Digital Equity Plan…
Low-interest loans available for broadband construction projects in unserved areas of Washington state OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) today opened applications for broadband construction funding offering a total of $13.5 million in low-interest loans for projects in unserved areas of the state. “The Public Works Board continues to make broadband access in unserved areas a priority with the availability of these very low-interest loans,” said Board…
The Washington State Broadband Office awarded $121 million in grants that will provide connections to unserved and underserved communities statewide. OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Broadband Office today announced over $121 million in grants for 19 broadband construction projects that will deliver reliable, high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved communities across the state. “Broadband access is essential infrastructure, providing a critical gateway to education, health care, social and…
New Managing Director of Broadband Equity will focus on community-led solutions to provide broadband access, affordability and digital literacy for all Washington residents OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce has hired Lisa Heaton (she/her) to serve as Managing Director of Broadband Equity working in partnership with the Washington State Broadband Office. Heaton, a past recipient of the Governor’s Leadership in Management Award, brings a wealth of public…
Deadline looms for verification and challenges to service data that will determine Washington’s share of significant federal broadband infrastructure funding OLYMPIA, WA – Washington state’s three funding partners working to expand broadband access to all businesses and residents are asking the public to help check Federal Communications Commission (FCC) data in a recently published National Broadband Map. The Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO), Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB), and Public…
Grants up to $12 million each offered as Washington state pushes toward goal of high-speed internet access for all residents and businesses by 2028 OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Broadband Office is accepting applications now through January 17, 2023 for grants of up to $12 million each for broadband infrastructure construction projects. With $120 million available, the grants target “unserved” areas – defined as areas lacking access to reliable…
Stakeholder input from November workshops, December 27 public hearing will help inform rulemaking, set priorities for changes required by 2022 Legislature OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) is seeking public participation to help identify and prioritize issues that stakeholders believe should be addressed in the Board’s broadband funding program as a result of changes made to the program by the 2022 state Legislature. Input from two…
PULLMAN, WA — Community specialists with WSU Extension are partnering with the Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO) to enhance capacity by Washington communities, especially those in rural and remote areas, to provide better and more equitable access to reliable, high-speed internet. Funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce, the one-year, $8 million statewide Broadband Action Team (BAT) Implementation and Support project aids county and community efforts with training, planning…
Digital equity focus, successful work with rural and underserved communities, position new director to continue advancing state’s ambitious goal of broadband access for all by 2024. OLYMPIA, WA — Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Mark Vasconi to serve as director of the Washington State Broadband Office within the Department of Commerce. Vasconi comes to the job with significant public and private sector experience in telecommunications. During more than a decade…