Universal Internet Access Across NYS

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced approximately $391 million in proposed awards under the ConnectALL Deployment Program to 11 internet service providers who have committed a total of more than $245 million in matching funds to address nearly 54,000 locations in the state. If approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) following a public comment process, these federal awards will achieve universal broadband connectivity by reaching every documented unserved and underserved location across New York State. Members of the public can submit comments on the planned awards through the ConnectALL Deployment Program website until 3:59 PM on September 24. ConnectALL will host a webinar on September 18 to provide an overview of the draft Final Proposal and show members of the public how they can submit comments. Register here to attend.

“In this day and age, internet access is no longer just a luxury — it is a necessity to connect individuals to everyday essentials from education to healthcare,” Governor Hochul said. “Every community in New York State deserves to have access to the internet and it is time we uplift our underserved communities, providing them with more opportunities and resources.”

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Closing the digital divide means opening doors for families, businesses, and entire communities. With the BEAD program, we will reach the final one percent of unserved households and ensure they are not left behind. Empire State Development is proud to advance Governor Hochul’s vision through the ConnectALL initiative and to partner with NTIA in bringing this historic investment to every corner of New York.”

The proposed projects span every region of the state, from Long Island to Western New York, targeting the final one percent of locations that remain without broadband service or an enforceable commitment for service under another grant program. The awarded projects will deliver fiber optic infrastructure to approximately 31 percent of the eligible locations and fixed wireless service to approximately 44 percent. The grant awards will reserve satellite capacity for the remaining 25 percent of locations, with grant payments made based on subscription milestones.

ConnectALL has provided additional detail, including a breakdown of awards by county, on its website. ConnectALL identified grantees through an open, competitive application using the scoring criteria and selection process prescribed by NTIA. These federal awards are subject to NTIA approval, with awards to serve locations on federally recognized tribal lands also subject to approval by those governments. The awards and award terms are subject to change as ConnectALL proceeds through the awards process.

The funding for these awards comes from $664.6 million that Congress allocated to the State of New York in 2023 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD). The Law states that the remaining funds in the allocation can be used for broadband adoption, installing internet, or for providing reduced-cost broadband within multi-family residential buildings, among other purposes, pending future guidance from NTIA.

The 11 awards total $391.1 million with a total match amount of $245 million. The specific awards are:

• $78,640,161 to Archtop Fiber, LLC with a $28,211,318 match to serve 2,511 locations in five counties (Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Orange, and Sullivan) with fiber optic technology.
• $121,187,012 to CBN Geneva, LLC with a $40,301,358 match to serve 3,951 locations in seven counties (Chenango, Delaware, Madison, Oswego, Otsego, Schuyler, and Yates) and Shinnecock Reservation with fiber optic technology, as well as 18,101 locations in 29 counties (Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Saratoga, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Suffolk, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, and Yates) and Onondaga Reservation with fixed wireless technology.
• $13,273,290 to Citizens Telecommunications of New York, Inc. with a $6,303,834 match to serve 1,014 locations in Chenango County with fiber optic technology.
• $11,498,589 to Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC with a $5,033,776 match to serve 390 locations in Putnam County with fiber optic technology.
• $5,454,547 to Consolidated Communications Enterprise Services, Inc. with a $3,594,633 match to serve 1,083 locations in three counties (Chautauqua, Columbia, and Rensselaer) with fiber optic technology.
• $25,489,512 to IBT Group USA, LLC with a $4,272,763 match to serve 1,159 locations in two counties (Franklin and St. Lawrence) and the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation with fiber optic technology and 10,660 locations in nine counties (Chenango, Delaware, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego, and Schoharie) and the Oneida Indian Reservation using fixed wireless technology.
• $360,000 to Planet Fiber NY, LLC with a $120,000 match to serve 16 locations in Orange County with fiber optic technology.
• $23,232,915 to Reasnor Telephone Company, LLC with a $7,744,305 match to serve 904 locations in Dutchess County with fiber optic technology.
• $20,422,500 to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. with a $18,704,831 match to serve 13,615 locations in 37 counties (Albany, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Montgomery, Oneida, Orange, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tompkins, Warren, Washington, Westchester, and Wyoming) and three Tribal Reservations (Allegany Reservation, Oneida Indian Reservation, and St. Regis Mohawk Reservation) with low Earth orbit satellite technology.
• $27,038,640 to Spectrum Northeast, LLC with a $4,123,250 match to serve 2,919 locations in Chautauqua County and Tuscarora Nation with fiber optic technology.
• $64,500,823 to Verizon New York, Inc. with a $126,581,092 match to serve 4,017 locations in 13 counties (Albany, Clinton, Erie, Essex, Fulton, Montgomery, Oneida, Oswego, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Sullivan, Ulster, and Washington) and the Tonawanda Reservation with fiber optic technology.

Senator Charles Schumer said, “Today, we take a massive step forward in closing the digital divide in New York. I am proud to deliver hundreds of millions in federal funding from our Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to connect thousands of homes and small businesses from Putnam to Plattsburgh to reliable, fast internet access. This is a once-in-a-generation federal investment to build the 21st century infrastructure needed to connect families and communities to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and each other. When I led the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to passage, I insisted on including funding for long-term investments like this that would create good-paying jobs in every corner of the Empire State. Now, that vision is becoming a reality, and many thousands of New Yorkers will access reliable high-speed internet no matter their zip code.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, “High-speed internet is a necessity, not a luxury. I fought to secure this funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law so that every New Yorker, no matter their zip code, has access to reliable, affordable broadband. These investments will help close the digital divide and open new doors of opportunity across our state.”

Representative Paul Tonko said, “Broadband internet access isn’t just a convenience — it’s an essential resource for families and businesses here in our Capital Region and across our state. That’s why I’ve led the charge in Congress to expand broadband here in New York and nationwide. By helping to connect underserved communities to this critical infrastructure, these investments will help make certain that all New Yorkers can stay better connected to their jobs, their schools, their health care, and much more. I’m proud to join Governor Hochul in celebrating today’s announcement, and I look forward to continuing to work together toward our shared goal of universal internet access across New York State.”

Representative Grace Meng said, “Internet access is vital, and all New Yorkers, regardless of the communities they reside in, deserve equal access to it. In Congress, I’m proud to have helped secure billions of dollars to increase internet access in our state and across the nation so that more people are able to get online. Universal access in New York is essential to closing the digital divide, and I thank Governor Hochul for her continued leadership in this area.”

Representative Joe Morelle said, “In today’s world, internet access is an essential resource for our families — it’s how they connect with doctors, loved ones, teachers, and more. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for proposing this much-needed investment to give families the support they deserve and help close the digital divide in New York State.”

Representative Ritchie Torres said, “Too many families in the Bronx are still left on the wrong side of the digital divide. Expanding broadband will give students the tools to learn, workers the chance to compete, and seniors the ability to stay connected to care and community. I am grateful to Governor Hochul for making sure the Bronx is front and center in this effort to deliver reliable, affordable internet to every household in New York.”

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez said, “New York’s ConnectALL initiative has accomplished so much in the effort to bring broadband access to every single New Yorker, and this new funding will go a long way in bridging the digital divide in our state’s underserved communities. I want to thank the Governor for prioritizing broadband infrastructure, and I look forward to working with her and the various state agencies to address more technological gaps across the state.”

Assemblymember Steve Otis said, “This latest announcement of ConnectALL funding awards amplifies New York’s successful policy of using locally crafted solutions to fill broadband access gaps. Deployment of fiber optic technology to hard-to-reach areas is vital to economic growth and to providing full access to all New Yorkers and businesses. Our ConnectALL office, a unit of Empire State Development (ESD), has been a national leader in filling broadband gaps using a range of innovative programs to address broadband access challenges. Our success reflects the commitment of Governor Kathy Hochul, both houses of the Legislature, ESD President and Commissioner Hope Knight, and ConnectALL Senior VP Josh Breitbart.”

Expanding New York's Digital Infrastructure

Governor Hochul has made expanding broadband access a cornerstone of her administration's efforts to create a more equitable New York. Through the ConnectALL initiative, New York State is investing more than $1 billion to transform the state's digital infrastructure, enhance competition among providers, and ensure that every New Yorker has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. To date, ConnectALL has overseen the successful launch and implementation of several programs to advance broadband access, including:

• The Municipal Infrastructure Program has awarded more than $242 million to support construction of open access municipal broadband networks across the state. The program, primarily funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects fund, facilitates a variety of models of municipal broadband and public-private partnerships to provide New Yorkers with affordable, high-quality service options. The Beta ConnectALL Projects Dashboard provides details on projects funded by the Municipal Infrastructure Program.
• The Digital Equity Program will invest $50 million to implement the New York State Digital Equity Plan to close the digital divide. The Plan outlines New York’s statewide strategy to increase its capacity to improve digital literacy and digital job readiness skills, facilitate access to affordable internet and devices, enhance digital privacy and safety, and make government services more accessible through the internet.
• The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program will bring new broadband infrastructure to homes in affordable and public housing leveraging a $100 million federal investment from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund. The Beta ConnectALL Projects Dashboard provides details on projects funded by the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program.
• The ConnectALL Deployment Program will provide funding for internet service providers to reach unserved and underserved locations, drawing on an allocation of $644.6 million in federal funding as described in the ConnectALL Broadband Deployment Initial Proposal. The Requests for Applications for the Deployment Program ended in July, and ConnectALL is currently accepting public comment on its Final Proposal for these funds.
• The Connectivity Innovation Program advances innovation and new broadband solutions, business models, and technologies in order to increase private sector investment and entrepreneurship; drive equity and innovation in the broadband marketplace; and reinforce a thriving research, development, and manufacturing ecosystem to support connectivity innovation in New York. ConnectALL is reviewing applications to the Connectivity Innovation — Mobile Service RFA, which closed in June 2025.
• The Excelsior Broadband Network is a new statewide public broadband network. The first component of this project will be a new fiber line running the full length of the New York Thruway which will connect public broadband assets across the state and improve access to consistent high-speed internet and reliable cell phone service for communities across the state.

• The Mobile Service Connectivity initiative will work with local stakeholders, state agencies, and industry to develop regional plans to expand cellular coverage across the state. The program will identify top opportunities to expand coverage and provide funding to deploy innovative, scalable solutions that can address gaps in wireless cellular coverage.