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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said on Monday it has awarded $9.2 billion to provide high-speed broadband internet service to 5.22 million unserved homes and businesses, boosting access in rural areas.
FILE PHOTO: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) logo is seen before the FCC Net Neutrality hearing in Washington February 26, 2015. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo
The FCC said in its “Rural Digital Opportunity Fund” auction that Charter Communications Inc won $1.22 billion to provide service to 1.06 million locations, while Elon Musk’s SpaceX won $885 million to serve 642,000 locations.
The Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium won $1.1 billion to serve 618,000 locations and LTD Broadband LLC won $1.32 billion to serve 528,000 locations.
FCC award will expand high-speed internet in rural Mississippi
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ROGER WICKER: Mississippi receives $495 million for broadband deployment
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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