Golden State Fiber Poised to Connect 31,000 Locations in Rural California
Counties secure $110 million in bond financing and $185 million in state grants to expand rural fiber access
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2025 – A coalition of rural California counties has secured $110.9 million in bond financing to advance construction of a public fiber network designed to support multiple internet service providers.
The Golden State Connect Authority, representing 40 California counties, announced the financing as part of its Golden State Fiber broadband initiative. The authority is receiving operational support from UTOPIA Fiber, drawing on the Utah company’s experience as an industry leader in open access municipal networks.
The deployments span some of the state’s most remote regions, from north of Sacramento through the Eastern Sierra Nevada – home to Alpine County, California’s least populated – and all the way to the southeastern border region near Mexico. Once deployed, the Golden State Fiber network is anticipated to reach over 31,000 locations.
Member discussion