HARRISBURG – Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-27) announced today that the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) has provisionally awarded $32,220,784.83 to broadband providers including Amazon Kuiper, Centre WISP Venture Company LLC, Comcast, Commonwealth Telephone Company LLC, eCommunity Holdings LLC, SpaceX, Upward Broadband, and Verizon to expand broadband access in Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Union, and Luzerne Counties.
“This investment represents a major step forward for families, schools, and small businesses across our region,” Culver said. “Reliable high-speed internet is essential in today’s world. It opens doors for education, health care, workforce development, and economic growth, and I am committed to ensuring our rural communities have the same opportunities as everywhere else in Pennsylvania.”
The funding is part of Pennsylvania’s nearly $800 million allocation through the federally funded Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which represents a historic effort to bring high-speed internet to every corner of the Commonwealth.
The funds will be matched by the applicants, bringing the total investment in the region to more than $64 million.
The provisional award will help connect unserved and underserved households, schools, and businesses. It will also support programs that make service more accessible for families, expand access to digital tools and resources, and create new opportunities for workforce development and economic growth.
For additional information, please visit the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority’s website.