The New York State Budget established legislation that provides $1.445 billion in broadband initiatives.
The Working to Implement Reliable and Equitable Deployment of Broadband Act (WIRED Broadband Act) establishes a new Division of Broadband Access that will deploy a series of ConnectALL grant programs. The initiatives include $300 million for the ConnectALL grant program, and another $1.145 billion in federal funds.
The ConnectALL Municipal Assistance Program will provide local governments with funding for broadband infrastructure projects that provide reliable internet service speeds of at least 100mbps for download and 20mbps for upload.
The ConnectALL Innovation Grant Program will develop, pilot, and promote innovative models and technologies for the delivery of new broadband solutions for rural and low-income areas, and foster collaboration between research and business sectors.
And the ConnectALL Digital Equity Grant Program will promote equitable access to broadband for all New Yorkers and support effective implementation of the State Digital Equity Plan.
The budget also repeals the DOT Right-of-Way fee for all projects. These fees added considerable one-time and annual costs to many broadband projects, which reduced the return on investment from these projects.
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