WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced that Puerto Rico will receive $334,614,151.70 to deploy affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service. Right now, 61,871 homes and small businesses in Puerto Rico lack access to a high-speed Internet connection.
As part of the “Internet for All” initiative, a key component of President Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda, the President, Vice President, and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced how much funding from the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories will receive.
“With today’s announcement, we’re delivering on President Biden’s promise to bring affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service to everyone,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This historic investment in Puerto Rico’s connectivity will close the digital divide and create new opportunities for hardworking families living on the archipelago.”
«This BEAD allocation is yet another milestone in the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to delivering for the people of Puerto Rico,» said Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Puerto Rico Economic Growth Coordinator Don Graves. «Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, Puerto Ricans across the archipelago will soon benefit from the transformative potential of reliable and affordable high-speed Internet for necessities like healthcare, education and employment.»
States, D.C., and territories (“Eligible Entities”) will use funding from the BEAD program from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to administer grant programs within their borders.
The BEAD funding will be used to deploy or upgrade broadband networks to ensure that everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service. Once deployment goals are met, any remaining funding can be used on broadband adoption, training, and workforce development efforts, among other eligible uses.
Details related to the allocation for the states, D.C., and territories are available on InternetForAll.Gov.
Eligible Entities will receive their formal notice of allocation on June 30, 2023. Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Eligible Entities have 180 days from the date of that formal notice to submit their Initial Proposals for how they will run their grant programs. Eligible Entities can begin submitting their Initial Proposals starting July 1, 2023. Once NTIA approves an Initial Proposal, which will occur on a rolling basis, Eligible Entities will be able to access at least 20 percent of their allocated funds.
