Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy and the Albany County Legislature announced the approval of a plan to support Broadband expansion projects targeting unserved areas of the County. The availability of broadband internet has been a national issue, due to the critical role it plays in everyday life and the high costs associated with the buildout of infrastructure to rural areas. The projects will provide access to faster and more reliable internet which is a necessity for economic growth, educational opportunities, and healthcare access.
That is why Albany County has allocated $2,907,700 million dollars of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) Funds to support these projects. With assistance from ECC Technologies, the County mapped unserved addresses and issued an RFP seeking applications from internet service providers (ISPs) to build out infrastructure to unserved locations with County support. The County received responses from five providers representing projects in seven Towns that have been competitively graded.
“By investing in the expansion of broadband infrastructure we are bridging the digital divide and bringing more households in our rural communities online. High-speed, dependable, and reasonably priced internet is necessary for complete engagement in modern life. We must ensure that every resident, regardless of zip code, have the tools they need to thrive” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy.
This August, while the County was evaluating responses to its RFP, New York State launched a “County Partnerships” Broadband grant program that provides funding to County’s to implement broadband expansion projects that have been competitively procured. Albany County applied for this funding which, if received, would allow for hundreds of additional homes to be reached in the County.
Resolution 643 allows the County to move forward with or without state funding in the following scenarios that seek to maximize public benefit with the funds available:
Scenario One - Albany County receives NYS County Partnerships Funding and based on the competitive grading more than $7 million in County ARPA and State funding are awarded to the following Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
- State Tel
- Mid-Hudson
- Charter Spectrum
- Archtop
These projects would cover approximately 1,142 unserved addresses in the Towns of Coeymans, Berne, Westerlo, Rensselaerville, Knox, New Scotland, and Bethlehem.
Scenario Two- Albany County does not receive NYS County Partnerships Funding and based on competitive grading $2.9 million in funding is awarded to the following ISPs:
Based on the competitive grading conducted during the RFP the over $9.2 Million in funding would be presented to the following ISPs:
- State Tel- $110,000
- Mid-Hudson Cable- $2,797,700
This would cover approximately 591 unserved addresses in the Towns of Coeymans, Rensselaerville, and additional towns to be negotiated.
The resolution authorizes the County to proceed with either scenario, depending on the outcome of the County Partnerships funding request.
“Broadband provides people with access to the world - and has truly become an essential service. Our daily lives rely on reliable technology and internet connectivity - linking us to education opportunities, employment, public safety, government services, healthcare, social interactions and networks and the economy. I am thrilled to support this broadband investment in Albany County - which serves communities that need to be linked to the world. This investment is critically important as it invests in underserved communities to ensure access for all. Thank you to all of the partners involved in making today's announcement and investment” said Chairwoman Joanne Cunningham.
“Internet access is essential for almost every facet of daily modern life. Unfortunately, too many areas in Albany County currently lack the infrastructure necessary to provide reliable internet access. I am proud to support these critical investments which will help close the digital divide for hundreds of County residents by expanding broadband access in underserved and unserved areas. I’d like to thank Chairwoman Joanne Cunningham, Deputy Chairwoman Wanda Willingham, and County Executive Daniel McCoy for their support of this crucial initiative. We look forward to the possibility of additional funding to further improve County broadband infrastructure through the New York State ConnectALL Deployment Program. These efforts reflect the effectiveness of strong Democratic leadership and I look forward to the expansion of this vital service in Albany County” said Majority Leader Dennis Feeney.
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