Hawaiian, NTIA Officials Announce New Broadband Funding

Nov. 12, 2024 – Officials from the state of Hawaii met with representatives from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Tuesday to announce new funding for the state to connect underserved Native Hawaiian residents with high-speed broadband.

“Reliable broadband opens doors to new opportunities for job creation, entrepreneurship and economic growth within the community,” NTIA Associate Administrator Doug Kinkoph said in the Tuesday press conference. “The availability of these services will not only improve the quality of life, but it will also provide critical resources for public health and education.”

The $72.7 grant awarded by the NTIA focused on expanding reliable, high-speed internet access to Hawaiian households and businesses. 

“We realize connectivity and reliable internet is not just something that is nice to have, but it's a necessity,” Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke (D) stated. “If we take a look at the entire state, the struggle to ensure that we have reliable internet everywhere, starts right here.”

The federal funding was disbursed to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from the second funding round of the $3 billion Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, which made almost one third of the $3 billion available for spending on telehealth, distance learning, telecommunications infrastructure and affordability programs on tribal lands.