The state’s $90 million broadband expansion plan to provide access to 48,000 unserved and underserved addresses across 115 municipalities has surpassed the halfway mark, according to the Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA).
“As of Dec. 1, about 28,000 addresses, or 58 percent, now have access to high speed, reliable internet access,” said BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell. “This was an historic investment and the results are significant.”
As one of the first states to receive approval for its broadband expansion program as part of the American Rescue Plan Act’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, New Hampshire awarded a total of $90 million in two rounds of funding, to connect a total of 48,016 homes and businesses by the end of 2026.
BEA contracted with the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative to connect 23,259 addresses for $50 million, and Consolidated Communications (Fidium) to connect 24,757 addresses for $40 million. The deadline for completion is Dec. 31, 2026.
“Well over 1,000 miles of fiber was installed, much of it in rural towns, but also places like summit of Mount Washington, to help operations and communications at the state park and for the meteorologists at the Mt Washington Observatory” Caswell said.
To view the latest map detailing expansion,
click here.