Massachusetts Awards $12.6 Million in Broadband Grants to Comcast, Verizon

January 23, 2025 – State officials in Massachusetts Thursday announced a plan to use state money to expand Internet connectivity in almost 100 underserved areas.

Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) said it will give more than $12.6 million in state grants to ISPs Comcast and Verizon. Comcast will be receiving the majority of the funds, as the company was given over $11.3 million to serve 93 communities. Verizon was given about $1.3 million to serve three areas.

As part of the agreement, the two ISPs will have to come up with a 20% match of the state’s investment to put into the projects.

This is the second round of funding from MBI’s $145 million Gap Networks Grant Program, which was created to deploy broadband infrastructure in areas that currently do not have service. According to MBI data, there are almost 11,000 unserved and more than 6,000 underserved broadband locations in the state.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (D) announced the decision today with MBI, praising the organization and state’s work with providing these grants.

“Internet access is an economic imperative, and we’re proud to be expanding access to these essential services to communities across the state,” Healey said. “MBI is connecting people without sufficient access so they can take advantage of the digital economy.”