Albany County Legislature passes broadband funding
ALBANY COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A plan to support broadband expansion projects in unserved areas of Albany County has been passed. Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy and the Albany County Legislature made the announcement on Wednesday.
$2,907,700 of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds will go towards projects dedicated to bringing faster and more reliable internet to rural areas. The county says it mapped unserved addresses and issued a request for proposal (RFP) seeking applications from internet service providers to bring infrastructure to these locations with county support.
Five providers responded to the RFP representing projects in seven towns. How many towns are served depends on whether or not the county gets New York State County Partnership Funding, which it applied for in August.
If the county receives state funding, about 1,142 addresses in the towns of Coeymans, Berne, Westerlo, Rensselaerville, Knox, New Scotland, and Bethlehem would be served by the following service providers:
- State Tel
- Mid-Hudson Cable
- Charter Spectrum
- Archtop
If the county does not receive state funding, about 591 addresses would be served in the towns of Coeymans and Rensselaerville with additional towns to be negotiated. State Tel and Mid-Hudson Cable would be the providers.
“By investing in the expansion of broadband infrastructure we are bridging the digital divide and bringing more households in our rural communities online. High-speed, dependable, and reasonably priced internet is necessary for complete engagement in modern life. We must ensure that every resident, regardless of zip code, have the tools they need to thrive” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy.