COLUMBUS — Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik last week announced a state investment of $94.5 million that will provide affordable, high-speed internet access to more than 35,000 households across the state.
As part of the second round of the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant (ORBEG) program, the Broadband Expansion Authority authorized BroadbandOhio to provide funding to two internet service providers, Time Warner Cable Midwest and Brightspeed, for six projects serving 23 counties. The program is designed to provide internet service with speeds of at least 100/100 Mbps to households upon project completion.
“Having reliable, high-speed internet is an essential part of our world today,” said Governor DeWine. “Providing Ohio’s unserved areas with dependable, affordable broadband access will enhance economic growth and create new opportunities where they didn’t previously exist.”
“With this action today, we are expanding the opportunity for many people in these 23 counties to participate in the modern economy, education, and healthcare systems, which currently lack access to high-speed internet,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “Having grown up in rural Ohio, I know firsthand how limited technology access can make people feel left behind when it comes to opportunities. We are changing that in Ohio.”
Time Warner Cable Midwest was awarded $83,141,280 for five projects, including: $17,471,275 to provide access to 6,645 households in Auglaize, Butler, Logan, Montgomery, and Preble counties.
For each of Time Warner Cable Midwest’s projects, the residents impacted will have access to reliable high-speed internet using Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology capable of delivering 1 gigabit symmetrical speeds.
This round of ORBEG awards is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.
“We hear from local leaders and residents every day about how important it is that they get connected,” said Director Mihalik. “Through this funding, we’re moving another step closer to ending the digital divide across the state and empowering every Ohioan with the high-speed capabilities they need to prosper and thrive.”
As part of the grant process, 12 internet service providers also committed to independently fund 51 additional projects within two years to serve 10,000 households in 25 additional counties.
In March 2022, BroadbandOhio awarded more than $232 million in grants to 11 internet service providers for the first round of the ORBEG program. The 33 awards announced during that round provided high-speed internet access to more than 43,000 households.
The grants awarded today are a key component of the DeWine-Husted Administration’s comprehensive Broadband Strategy that aims to bring high-speed internet across the state.
