New Jersey Launches $40M Broadband Expansion
Brightspeed alone expects to receive $9.8 million
July 8, 2025 – The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced the launch of a $40 million effort to extend high-speed internet service to remote and underserved areas of the state.
The program, entitled New Jersey's Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Equity, will prioritize fiber-optic infrastructure offering at least 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) speeds and will provide at least one low-cost option for each community.
“This has been years in the making,” said Taryn Boland, the BPU's chief of staff, speaking at an event in Salem County on June 25 to officially mark the beginning of this major effort towards closing the digital divide in New Jersey. “Broadband access is critical and the impact it has on our communities is immense.”
FROM SPEEDING BEAD SUMMIT
Panel 1: How Are States Thinking About Reasonable Costs Now?
Panel 2: Finding the State Versus Federal Balance in BEAD
Panel 3: Reacting to the New BEAD NOFO Guidance
Panel 4: Building, Maintaining and Adopting Digital Workforce Skills
The state expects broadband service to be extended to more than 9,000 locations through the initiative, including the less densely populated Atlantic and Cumberland counties, located in the southeastern part of the state.
Entities set to receive grants to make this vision a reality include public and private partners, Vineland, Salem County, Brightspeed, and Verizon New Jersey Inc., chosen for their “commitment to bridging the digital divide and delivering high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved communities.”
Brightspeed alone expects to receive $9.8 million, which the company said will greatly accelerate its mission of closing the state’s digital divide for thousands of homes and businesses. Directing its attention to Sussex and Warren Counties, Brightspeed plans to deploy fiber to an estimated 3,315 locations, including 1,113 businesses, 2,172 homes, and 30 community anchor institutions.
“High-speed internet isn’t a luxury anymore; it’s a basic need,” said John Mizerak, director of government affairs and public policy at Brightspeed, in a release sent to Broadband Breakfast. “These grants allow us to bring dependable, affordable internet to the families and businesses who need it most.”
The program itself is funded by the American Rescue Plan, an economic stimulus package enacted in March 2021 under the Biden administration to help communities across America recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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