California Regulators Fund Broadband Projects at $137,000 Per Location
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) hiked the state’s Universal Service Fund tax to help fund the grants.
WASHINGTON, July 6, 2026 – The California Public Utilities Commission approved $53 million in California Advanced Services Fund grants after voting to raise the Universal Service Fund’s tax on the same day.
The regulators approved the funding to bring connection to three rural California counties and two tribal nations, despite per-location costs far exceeding cheaper satellite options like Starlink.
