The applicant proposes to build and operate the connect alabama network for 677.1 route miles: 411.5 route miles for access to unserved area, 29.8 route miles for access to underserved areas, and…

Troy Cablevision Inc. was awarded a $52,610,443.35 Project Grant from the Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration under the Middle Mile (Broadband) Grant Program (CFDA 11.033). The grant will fund the construction of 677.1 route miles of buried 144-count fiber optic cable network in 26 counties across Alabama. The key products and services include providing 1 gigabit symmetrical broadband access to anchor institutions within 1,000 feet of the network route, offering carrier-neutral and non-discriminatory middle mile interconnection to last-mile broadband providers, and ensuring high reliability, redundancy, and connectivity for hundreds of cellular sites. The network aims to expand broadband access to 37 unserved towns and 4 underserved towns in rural Alabama through 2023-2027. No subrecipients were identified.

Activities

Project will use fiber to build new middle mile network through unserved communities with a commitment to open access and carrier neutral non-discriminatory interconnect. The period of performance is expected to be 3 years.

Expected outcomes

The network connects at least 20 last mile providers, backhauls data for hundreds of cellular sites, and leases dark fiber. The existing middle mile fiber and core infrastructure will be utilized to enhance the resiliency, redundancy, and robustness of the proposed middle mile network. The applicant's goals for the proposed network are: 1) expand the network for connectivity to 37 unserved towns 4 underserved towns per the alabama broadband mapping data. 2) leverage the applicant's existing, robust network to connect last mile providers and anchor institutions in the proposed service area. 3) enhance the unserved/underserved areas with redundancy, resiliency, ease of access to an open, non-discriminatory network in perpetuity. 4) integrate seamlessly into the existing network.

Intended beneficiaries

The applicant's proposed route crosses areas that include low-density rural communities, lower household income ($43,231 average annual household income, two-thirds the national average), areas with three times the percentage of communities of color (39.2% in PSA VS 13.6% in US), and tribal areas. The census reports the broadband internet subscription rate in the PSA is only 70.75% compared to 91.90% across the US. Two last mile providers expressing written interest in interconnecting with the proposed network represent some of the poorest, highest percentage of color, and lowest percentage of households with a broadband subscription counties in the state and in the country. Incumbent last mile providers lack the technology to deliver symmetric 100/100 mbps service, lack the scalability, redundancy, resilience, and low latency. These incumbent's services leave the project service area unserved and/or underserved. In contrast, connect alabama plans to deliver open access of transport and wholesale services to any last mile providers on an open access, non-discriminatory basis that complies with all ntia middle mile grant program technology, operations and regulatory requirements.

Subrecipient activities

The applicant has not identified any subrecipient entities in this application.