The Utah Broadband Center, an initiative of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, launched Connect Utah, a five-year action plan to expand affordable Internet access in unconnected and underserved areas of the state. (Photosani, Shutterstock)
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SALT LAKE CITY. There are currently 70,000 households in Utah with limited or no internet access, according to the 2021 American Communities Survey, but the state just received more than $15 million in federal funding for two projects to help change that.
The first is Connecting Utah, launched Nov. 29 through the Utah Broadband Center, an initiative of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. Connecting Utah will develop a five-year action plan to expand access to affordable high-speed Internet in unconnected and underserved areas of the state, according to a news release.
Rebecca Dilg, director of the Utah Broadband Center, said the project received $5 million from the federal Broadband Capital Access and Deployment Program, a $42.45 billion program that helps expand access and use of high-speed Internet. The program is overseen by the US Department of Commerce and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Additional funds for Utah’s connection came from the Digital Equity Act, which allocated $2.75 billion to three federal grant programs also overseen by NTIA. Dilg said the amount from the Digital Equity Act is “not an easy, rounded number.”
The second project will expand broadband infrastructure to rural areas of the state, connecting about 3,080 households and businesses, according to a news release. The Utah Broadband Center announced Wednesday that it will receive $10 million to fund this work through the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund as part of the American Rescue Program.
The Utah Broadband Center has already awarded five rural recipients.
- Box Elder County
- Croydon, Morgan County
- Millard County
- West Mountain, Utah County
- Montezuma Creek, San Juan County
The CFP is a $10 billion program that funds programs that enable employment, education and health surveillance in response to the pandemic. Utah is one of five other states to receive CPF funding.
Utah Connection
Dilg said his office heard about the funding for the broadcast equity program a year ago. After a deadline of August 15 this year, it received funding until November. Utah is one of 14 states and territories currently receiving the funds, he added.
The money is now going toward Connecting Utah’s five-year plan, the first step of which involves identifying areas most in need of Internet access. Dilg said the state has had internet access maps based on information from internet providers for more than a decade, but now they’re hoping community members will visit speedtest.utah.gov to take internet speed tests at their various addresses.
“This gives us another layer of information,” Dilg said. “Are these areas actually served? Are they represented?”
He also highlighted the outreach work his office is doing, including workshops, a website and social media campaigns supported by local consultancy Horrocks.
The five-year plan also includes rolling out Internet service to underserved areas, Dilg said. They will provide grants and “partner in this undertaking.” Their first priority is to connect every household, he said. then they will focus on improving speed.
Dilg said that especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, almost everything is done online, from telehealth appointments to driver’s license renewals to telecommuting. His team worries about “digital immigrants,” older generations who didn’t grow up using technology, and even younger people who don’t necessarily have all the skills needed to navigate the digital world.
“We envision a digitally connected Utah where everyone can fully participate in modern society,” Dilg said.
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