Gov. David Ige announced today the award of $5,570,883 in “Internet for All” planning grants to Hawai‘i from the Biden-Harris administration – part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden to provide affordable, equitable, and reliable high-speed internet service throughout the state.
The grants from the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will be used to plan for the deployment of high-speed internet networks and develop digital skills training programs.
“The challenges we faced over the past few years showed how important it is to have reliable and affordable internet access is for all residents, whether they live in urban Honolulu or a rural part of a neighbor island,” said Gov. Ige. “This federal funding will allow the state to continue advancing digital literacy and broadband projects throughout the state in the years to come. I especially pleased that this funding includes support for broadband access in Native Hawaiian communities through the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.”
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson joined Gov. Ige by Zoom today to announce the grants in a press conference at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. Also participating were digital literacy trainer Kaʻala Souza and Rosie Davis, executive director, Maui County Area Health Education Center on Molokaʻi.
“I appreciate Governor Ige for his determination in connecting all Hawaii residents to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These new funds will spur Hawaii’s capacity to develop digital equity programs and ensure each household on every island has a reliable Internet connection.”
“Everyone in Hawai‘i should have access to high-speed internet,” said Senator Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This funding will allow us to expand broadband infrastructure across the state and help make sure families and small businesses can get affordable, dependable broadband service.”
“If we didn’t understand the critical and still-growing importance of Internet connectivity and broadband before COVID, the pandemic drove home how essential it is and how it can greatly improve tele-anything such as education, health, business and communities,” said Congressman Ed Case (HI-01). “That’s why I fought so hard in Congress for passage last year of our historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the largest federal investment ever in broadband across our nation. Already our law has brought $994 million to Hawai’i for crucial infrastructure projects. These include a minimum of $100 million to help ensure high-speed Internet coverage across the islands, thus far enabling more than 35,000 households to improve access to the Internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program. These first grants under two other programs are but part of what I hope will be much more to come.”
About Hawai‘i’s Planning Grants
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program
The BEAD Program provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed Internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs.
Hawai‘i will receive $5 million to fund various activities including:
- Identifying unserved and underserved households;
- Increasing capacity of the State Broadband Office;
- Engaging locally with the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to better understand barriers to adoption for unserved and underserved communities.
Digital Equity
The Digital Equity Act provides $2.75 billion to establish three grant programs to ensure that all people and communities have the skills, technology, and capacity needed to reap the full benefits of our digital economy. The first part of NTIA’s execution of the Digital Equity Act is to fund digital equity planning efforts.
Hawai‘i will receive $570,883.00 to fund various activities including:
- Development of the Digital Equity plan for Hawaii through the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism;
- Outreach with the State Broadband Office to stakeholders in unserved and underserved communities;
- Development of collaborative partnerships among stakeholders to achieve digital equity in Hawaii.
Internet for All
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a historic $65 billion investment to expand affordable and reliable high-speed Internet access in communities across the U.S. NTIA recently launched a series of new high-speed Internet grant programs funded by the law that will build high-speed Internet infrastructure across the country, create more low-cost high-speed Internet service options, and address the digital equity and inclusion needs in our communities.
Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Visit AffordableConnectivity.gov to learn more.
For more information on the Biden-Harris Administration’s high-speed Internet service programs, please visit InternetforAll.gov.