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The U.S. Virgin Islands is set to receive over $27 million in funding to enhance high-speed Internet service, the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has announced.
As part of the Biden administration's “Internet for All” initiative, the funds will aid in delivering affordable, reliable Internet connectivity to residents and small businesses currently lacking such access.
According to the NTIA, 577 homes and small businesses in the U.S. Virgin Islands are currently without high-speed Internet access. The newly announced funds aim to rectify this, supporting the deployment of much-needed infrastructure upgrades.
The funding is part of the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a key tenet of President Biden's "Investing in America" agenda. The program includes funding for each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.
“President Biden has been clear that everyone deserves access to affordable and reliable high-speed Internet,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “With this funding, more U.S. Virgin Islanders will be able to connect to the resources they need to thrive in the 21st-century economy.”
States, the District of Columbia, and territories ("Eligible Entities") will administer grant programs within their borders using funding from the BEAD program, a component of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to NTIA.
The BEAD funds will be employed to deploy or upgrade broadband networks, ensuring that everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service. Once the deployment targets have been achieved, any residual funding can be used for initiatives such as broadband adoption, training, and workforce development.
Details related to the allocation for the states, D.C., and territories are accessible on InternetForAll.Gov.
Eligible Entities will receive their formal notice of allocation on June 30, 2023. From that date, they will have 180 days to submit their Initial Proposals outlining the administration of their grant programs. The submission process begins on July 1, 2023. Upon NTIA approval of an Initial Proposal, which will be on a rolling basis, Eligible Entities will be able to access at least 20 percent of their allocated funds.
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