Mississippi scored an important victory this month in our effort to connect rural communities to the internet. On December 7, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) announced the results of a competitive auction in which private-sector companies bid for the opportunity to supply broadband to rural communities. Mississippi received an award of $495 million for these efforts â second only to California, the nationâs most populous state. This means one out of every 18 dollars from this auction will go to Mississippiâs broadband deployment efforts.
This investment is a major step forward for our state. The FCC estimates 435,000 Mississippi residents will gain access to reliable, high-speed internet because of this award. Still, the buildout will take time, and some communities may have to wait longer than others. I am taking steps to try to speed up this process as much as possible.Â
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December 21, 2020 - 3:00 pm
WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito says she’s asked the Federal Communications Commission to reject the bids Frontier Communications has submitted for millions of dollars in broadband expansion in the Mountain State.
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. (File)
“I’m asking for a rejection and I’m asking that they rebid the locations that Frontier got,” Capito said during an appearance Monday on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Capito had previously sent a letter to the FCC asking it to take a closer look at Frontier after the company was initially awarded $245 million of the $362 million available for projects Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction. Frontier was the low bidder on 70% of the funds available.
Last week, I pointed out an angle of attack the Democrats could use in 2022 against Republican lawmakers and 2020 candidates who stood on the steps of the Capitol and pledged $1 billion for broadband expansion.
Again, they got to that $1 billion number by including the up to $766 million the state could have pulled down in the first phase of the Federal Communication Commissionâs Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction, the $50 million the state originally set aside from the C.A.R.E.S. Act for broadband expansion, and $150 million spread out over three years allocated by the Legislature itself.
In reality, the state only pulled down $362 million from the RDOF auction phase two and $33 million from the C.A.R.E.S. Act for broadband (though a possible new coronavirus relief package could allow the state to keep the remaining money it received form the initial $1.25 billion for COVID-19 expenses). Assuming the Legislature keeps its word on the $150 million over three years starting
sadams@newsandsentinel.com
Last week, I pointed out an angle of attack the Democrats could use in 2022 against Republican lawmakers and 2020 candidates who stood on the steps of the Capitol and pledged $1 billion for broadband expansion.
Again, they got to that $1 billion number by including the up to $766 million the state could have pulled down in the first phase of the Federal Communication Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction, the $50 million the state originally set aside from the C.A.R.E.S. Act for broadband expansion, and $150 million spread out over three years allocated by the Legislature itself.
Reporter s Notebook
Last week, I pointed out an angle of attack the Democrats could use in 2022 against Republican lawmakers and 2020 candidates who stood on the steps of the Capitol and pledged $1 billion for broadband expansion.
Again, they got to that $1 billion number by including the up to $766 million the state could have pulled down in the first phase of the Federal Communication Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction, the $50 million the state originally set aside from the C.A.R.E.S. Act for broadband expansion, and $150 million spread out over three years allocated by the Legislature itself.
In reality, the state only pulled down $362 million from the RDOF auction phase two and $33 million from the C.A.R.E.S. Act for broadband (though a possible new coronavirus relief package could allow the state to keep the remaining money it received form the initial $1.25 billion for COVID-19 expenses). Assuming the Legislature keeps its word on the $150 million over th