Oregon Awards Nearly $133 Million for Broadband Deployment

Nov. 18, 2024 – Oregon state broadband regulators have announced almost $133 million in new funding to serve residents who lack high speed broadband connections.

“High-speed, reliable internet is a modern essential,” Gov. Tina Kotek (D) said in a Tuesday announcement. “Our broadband infrastructure is the lifeblood of Oregon businesses and communities, and these grants will help ensure that we’re not leaving communities behind.”

The initial round of funding was designed to support expanded broadband access in 12,182 locations, 10,755 of which lack 25 * 3 Mbps service, qualifying them as unserved. 

The funding will be deployed to 17 Oregon counties through the state broadband office’s Broadband Deployment Program, which itself is a part of the American Rescue Plan Act’s $10 billion Capital Projects Fund. The program plans to deploy broadband at symmetrical speeds of 100 Mbps to unserved and underserved locations.

The program stipulated that all awarded funds must be utilized in operational projects by December 2026.