$110 million coming to Maine for increased access to broadband internet

Senator Angus King is the co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus and helped secure this funding along with additional support in the bipartisan infrastructure law.

MAINE (WABI) - Maine is getting $110 million for increased affordable broadband access across the state.

The funding from the American Rescue Plan will go to Maine Infrastructure Ready - a competitive broadband grant program administered by the Maine Connectivity Authority.

It’s expected to serve over 22,000 rural locations.

Senator Angus King is the co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus and helped secure this funding along with additional support in the bipartisan infrastructure law.

He says access to high speed, affordable internet makes a significant difference for everyone from students to seniors throughout the state.

“Providing broadband to the small towns and rural America, which this initiative is going to do, will enable people to expand their economic opportunities and still stay in the communities where they grew up, where they love, where they want to live. And that’s really, I think, at the heart of this. One of the great powers of the development of technology is that you can now work where you live instead of having to live where you work,” King said.

King says the funding will cover about 25% of the people currently living without high speed internet in Maine.

He hopes the additional funding from the infrastructure bill will bring the state close to ensuring everyone has access.

King says the funding should be available to the organizations by October.