FCC's RDOF program has committed over $5.2 billion to date

In its 9th round of program funding, the FCC is authorizing $199,336,695 through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) for new broadband deployments in 26 states and the Northern Mariana Islands bringing service to over 230,000 locations.  

To date, the RDOF program has committed over $5.2 billion for broadband deployment to 3 million locations in 47 states and the Northern Mariana Islands.

“We need to connect everyone, everywhere, and today’s announcement will open new opportunities to serve communities that need high-speed, reliable broadband service,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.  “We’re also working hard to make the best use of this funding to ensure that applicants meet their obligations and follow our rules.  With proper oversight, this program can advance our goal of closing the digital divide.”

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In January, Rosenworcel established the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan, a new effort to monitor and ensure compliance for universal service high-cost programs, including the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and the Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II Auction.  The Plan established new transparency and audit and verification procedures that are publicly available so the public can track progress in these programs, such as the new deployment data in the CAF Phase II auction that is available here: https://www.usac.org/highcost/funds/caf-phase-ii-auction/

The FCC also announced a number of defaulted bids, making the census blocks in those defaulted bids potentially eligible for other funding programs.  A list of the eligible census blocks previously covered by defaulted bids is available on the Auction 904 website under the “Results” tab, https://www.fcc.gov/auction/904/round-results.

https://www.fcc.gov/auction/904/round-results

Windstream receives RDOF authorization for gigabit expansions

Monday, March 21, 2022  Windst  

Windstream received all of its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund long-form authorizations from the FCC to support network upgrades to bring broadband to unserved rural areas that would have been cost-prohibitive without a public-private partnership. Windstream will receive $523 million over 10 years to help bring its Kinetic fiber-to-the-home internet service to approximately 193,000 locations in 18 states.Windstream has already announced public-private...

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FCC to open $1.2 billion through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund 

Saturday, January 29, 2022  FCC  

The FCC announced e more than $1.2 billion through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to fund new broadband deployments in 32 states.  In the largest funding round to date, 23 broadband providers will bring broadband service to over 1 million locations.  With this sixth funding wave, the FCC has now announced over $4 billion in funding to winning bidders for new deployments. “Today’s announcement means more connectivity is coming to...

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FCC announces over $1 billion in rural broadband support to 32 states

Sunday, December 19, 2021  FCC  

The FCC is ready to authorize $1,041,074,000 over 10yrs in its 5th round of funding for new broadband deployments through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. 69 broadband providers will bring broadband service to 518,088 locations in 32 states."This latest round of funding will open up even more opportunities to connect hundreds of thousands of Americans to high-speed, reliable broadband service,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.  “Today’s...

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FCC ready to fund $164 million to RDOF winners

The FCC is ready to authorize $163,895,636 to 42 providers in the second round of funding for new broadband deployments through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.  In this funding wave, 42 broadband providers will bring fiber-to-the-home gigabit broadband to approximately 65,000 locations in 21 states over the next 10 years. 

The FCC also announced that 85 winning bidders have chosen not to pursue buildout in 5,089 census blocks in response to letters the FCC sent asking applicants to review their bids in areas where there was evidence of existing service or questions of potential waste. 

“More help is on the way to households without broadband,” said FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.  “This is an important program for getting more Americans connected to high-speed internet, and we are continuing careful oversight of this process to ensure that providers meet their obligations to deploy in areas that need it.”

In July, the Commission sent letters to 197 winning bidders offering providers an opportunity to withdraw their funding requests from places where there was evidence of service or where questions of waste have been raised.  In response to these letters, numerous winning bidders have conducted new due diligence on the areas in question, and many have decided not to pursue support in the identified areas.

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