Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., drew attention this week to her home state’s broadband mapping project that will be funded by money Congress allocated in January to encourage broadband deployment and use. The Louisiana Division of Administration, Office of Information Technology, has been awarded approximately $1.7 million for broadband mapping and planning projects.
“Expanding broadband internet access to rural America is a key component to spurring small business growth in Louisiana,” Landrieu said. “By increasing broadband internet activity, rural small businesses will be better able to compete with companies in more technologically advanced parts of the country, thus leading to their success and giving them the tools they need to retain and create jobs in local communities,” she added.
The Office of Information Technology will spend approximately $1.2 million for broadband data collection and mapping activities over a two-year period, and almost $500,000 for broadband planning activities over a two-year period.
Landrieu’s office noted that she has been “a long-time advocate for the expansion of broadband technology.’ She also supported efforts to expand small businesses access to broadband technology and to get broadband to unserved rural areas.
