By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
MONTGOMERY — Governor Kay Ivey announced Monday that Alabama’s final proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program has received federal approval, unlocking nearly $460 million in grant funding to expand high-speed internet access across the state.
The plan, approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, will fund 63 projects aimed at connecting approximately 92,000 unserved locations statewide, marking a significant step toward closing Alabama’s digital divide.
“Reliable high-speed internet is essential for economic growth, education, healthcare and everyday life,” Ivey said. “With this progress, we are ensuring that families and businesses across Alabama will have the connectivity they need to thrive in the modern economy.”
The program, which is funded by the bipartisan infrastructure package signed into law by President Joe Biden in November 2021, is being administered through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. This department has worked alongside federal officials, local communities, and private providers to develop the statewide plan.
ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said the approval reflects years of collaboration and positions Alabama to deliver reliable internet service in a cost-effective manner.
Dale County
Dale County is among the areas set to benefit from the broadband expansion.
Spectrum Southeast will receive $9.50 million to provide high-speed internet access to 1,093 locations across the county.
Statewide Overview
The awarded projects will deliver broadband access at an average cost of less than $5,000 per location. The majority of projects — about 71 percent — will utilize fiber-optic technology, while others will rely on low-Earth orbit satellite systems and hybrid fiber-coaxial infrastructure.
Major providers receiving funding include companies such as AT&T, Comcast, Brightspeed, and SpaceX, as well as several regional and cooperative providers.
Projects span dozens of counties across Alabama, including significant investments in rural areas where access to reliable internet has historically been limited.
Of the $1.4 billion initially allocated to Alabama through the BEAD program, state officials report that more than $800 million in taxpayer funds has been saved and may be redirected to other eligible uses in the future.
ADECA officials are now working to finalize contracts with selected providers and will oversee project implementation through a monitoring system designed to ensure timely completion and compliance with federal standards.
State leaders say the initiative brings Alabama closer to achieving full statewide broadband coverage, a goal that has been a priority since 2017.
The full list of service providers and counties receiving funding for this broadband expansion is provided below:
AMAZON – $8.83 million total
- Statewide –$8.83 million to provide access to high-speed internet service to 14,728 locations throughout the state.
ARDMORE TELEPHONE COMPANY – $2.63 million total
- Lowndes County – $2.63 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 251 locations.
AT&T – $72.96 million total
- Autauga County – $2.62 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 366 locations.
- Bibb County – $1.54 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 154 locations.
- Clarke County – $7.79 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 779 locations.
- Cullman County – $3.67 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 368 locations.
- Dallas County – $14.45 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,487 locations.
- Jefferson County – $9.27 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,542 locations.
- Lee County – $9.93 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,132 locations.
- Montgomery County – $4.48 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 862 locations.
- Morgan County – $194,503 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 105 locations.
- Russell County – $1.12 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 639 locations.
- Shelby County – $8.17 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 817 locations.
- Talladega County – $4.68 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 468 locations.
- Walker County – $5.05 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 505 locations.
BRIGHTSPEED – $14.31 million total
- Butler County – $1.73 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 707 locations.
- Coffee County – $2.07 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 349 locations.
- Crenshaw County – $3.71 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 466 locations.
- Geneva County – $2.54 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 396 locations.
- Henry County – $1.87 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 680 locations.
- Pickens County – $2.39 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,804 locations.
COMCAST – $132.36 million total
- Calhoun County – $10.30 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,231 locations.
- Colbert County – $7.71 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,042 locations.
- Etowah County – $11.61 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,194 locations.
- Houston County – $14.29 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 2,585 locations.
- Lauderdale County – $8.83 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,190 locations.
- Mobile County – $30.60 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 5,295 locations.
- St. Clair County – $16.61 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 2,172 locations.
- Tuscaloosa County – $32.41 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 3,389 locations.
FARMERS TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP. – $4.23 million total
- DeKalb County – $2.60 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 322 locations.
- Marshall County – $1.63 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 273 locations.
MILLRY TELEPHONE CO. – $9.45 million total
- Washington County – $9.45 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,117 locations.
MSTREET FIBER ALABAMA – $24.21 million total
- Greene County – $2.69 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 384 locations.
- Hale County – $6.37 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 872 locations.
- Marengo County – $3.75 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 511 locations.
- Perry County – $4.79 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,167 locations.
- Sumter County – $6.61 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 886 locations.
POINT BROADBAND – $1.82 million total
- Clay County – $1.82 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,176 locations.
PREMIER BROADBAND – $46.35 million total
- Chilton County – $19.91 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 2,006 locations.
- Cleburne County – $20.55 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 2,066 locations.
- Lawrence County – $5.89 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 658 locations.
SP BROADBAND – $57.6 million total
- Conecuh County – $22.81 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 3,149 locations.
- Escambia County – $10.84 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,383 locations.
- Monroe County – $23.95 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 3,395 locations.
SPACEX – $7.85 million total
- Statewide – $3.91 million to provide high-speed internet service to 3,461 locations in different parts of the state.
- Bullock County – $41,250 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 48 locations.
- Chambers County – $306,000 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 378 locations.
- Choctaw County – $138,750 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 160 locations.
- Covington County – $317,250 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 406 locations.
- Jackson County – $251,250 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 260 locations.
- Pike County – $498,000 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 431 locations.
- Tallapoosa County – $761,250 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 848 locations.
- Wilcox County – $1.47 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,534 locations.
- Winston County – $198,000 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 245 locations.
SPECTRUM SOUTHEAST – $16.61 million
- Blount County – $6.51 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,271 locations.
- Cherokee County – $606,229 to provide access to high-speed internet service in 142 locations.
- Dale County – $9.50 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 1,093 locations.
WINDSTREAM ALABAMA – $17.86 million total
- Barbour County – $6.19 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 864 locations.
- Coosa County – $2.89 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 514 locations.
- Elmore County – $5.07 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 865 locations.
- Macon County – $3.71 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 531 locations.
ZITEL – $41.87 million
- Baldwin County – $29.83 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 9,984 locations.
- Randolph County – $12.04 million to provide access to high-speed internet service in 4,538 locations.
