New York State is moving closer to the goal of broadband access for all, with the final round of funding to secure access to high-speed internet for all New Yorkers by the end of 2018.
Round III of the New NY Broadband Program, launched this spring, will aim to reach all of the remaining homes and communities that still need service, with a goal of access to high-speed broadband even in the most rural Upstate communities.
On March 30, Governor Cuomo launched the Requests for Proposals for Round III, targeting all remaining unserved areas across the state.
The Broadband Program office has made Round III RFP guidelines available and will begin accepting applications for broadband funding on the Consolidated Funding Application portal starting next month, on June 6. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 15.
The program requirements for service set a goal of 100 Mbps download speeds, with 25 Mbps acceptable in remote and rural areas.
Award recipients will be selected through a “reverse- auction” methodology, prioritizing bidders seeking the lowest amount of state investment per new location served.
Most Round III locations will be addressed through the “New York Auction,” which is modeled after the two previous rounds and will consist solely of state funding. A separate, simultaneous “New York CAF Auction” will focus on the remaining areas, which are eligible for $170 million in Connect America Funds (CAF) recently allocated to New York State by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The federal matching fund is a notable enhancement to the Round III RFP, allowing broadband projects to be completed with both state and federal capital.
The latest RFP launch follows the New NY Broadband Round II awards, which are driving $268 million in public-private investment and supporting more than 50 projects, ultimately reaching approximately 89,500 homes and institutions in unserved and underserved communities.
The Governor, with legislative support, established the $500 million New NY Broadband Program in 2015, recognizing the importance of broadband infrastructure in strengthening and growing the state’s innovation economy.