The Oregon Broadband Office, through its Broadband Deployment Program, has announced it will award $133 million to support the construction and deployment of high-speed, reliable wired broadband internet service at more than 10,000 unserved locations in the state.
According to the Nov. 12 press release, unserved locations lack 25/3 Mbps service. The new funding will bring 100/100 Mbps service to 12,182 locations. A total of 16 projects are slated for funding across 17 counties.
“Equity and strategic collaboration are the core values of our Oregon Broadband Office’s work. This process will ultimately provide thousands of unserved and underserved Oregonians with high-speed, reliable broadband internet,” said Sophorn Cheang, director of Business Oregon. “Access to the internet is essential for education, healthcare, remote work, and social connection. This award will ensure that Oregonians have every opportunity to succeed in the digital realm.”
Nick Batz, director of the Oregon Broadband Office, said they received 62 applications requesting approximately $445 million for broadband infrastructure projects around the state. The total program allocation is $157 million.
“This oversubscription shows the demand to bring reliable broadband to all Oregonians. Our goal is within reach between the Broadband Deployment Program and our upcoming Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program,” Batz said.
Awardees were ranked based on a composite score that prioritized social vulnerability index, unserved locations, and affordability.
“High-speed, reliable internet is a modern essential,” Gov. Tina Kotek said. “Our broadband infrastructure is the lifeblood of Oregon businesses and communities, and these grants will help ensure that we’re not leaving communities behind.”
The Oregon Broadband Office said all awarded funds must be utilized, and projects must be operational by December 2026.
