$528M funding supports Brightspeed expansion in 17 states including Ohio
After receiving funding from a federal program, Brightspeed aims to bridge digital gaps for rural households by bringing high-speed connectivity to customers in more states.
Brightspeed is the third-largest fiber broadband builder in the U.S.
During the first week of October, Brightspeed announced it had been chosen to receive $528 million as part of the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program.
This funding allows Brightspeed to “accelerate our commitment to close the digital divide,” according to Michel Combes, the CEO and executive chairman of Brightspeed.
“Our investment, combined with this latest round of BEAD funding, is about more than laying fiber; it’s about changing lives,” he said. “Every mile we build brings new opportunities: students who can learn without limits, small businesses that can thrive in the digital economy and families who can access healthcare and stay connected to loved ones.”
The company’s fiber network already reaches more than 2.5 million locations, with thousands more locations being lit up each month.
In addition to Brightspeed’s own investment in Ohio, the company has been awarded $16 million in BEAD program funds for better broadband access in 5,424 locations across the state.
The latest states alongside Ohio to announce BEAD program awards included Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and South Carolina where Brightspeed was awarded $181,064,376 to reach an additional 90,852 homes and businesses.
Pamela Sherwood is the vice president for Brightspeed Broadband.
“All of these investments are about people,” Sherwood said. “With state and federal subsidy support, we’re bringing life-changing connections to families who have waited too long for reliable internet. This funding empowers us to give local economies the tools to grow—empowering small businesses, strengthening schools, and helping communities compete and thrive in a digital world.”
In addition to the BEAD funding, Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin already awarded Brightspeed nearly $294.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds.
That money was used to augment the company’s multi-million-dollar fiber network deployment investment in those states.
The ARPA funds will give more than 140,000 Americans access to high-speed connectivity they don’t have today.
