Wyoming may have from $200 million to $300 million from federal funds to allocate for enhancing broadband access throughout the state when planning is finalized, according to Eliana Zempel, state broadband manager for the Wyoming Business Council.
Zempel updated members of the Wyoming Business Alliance during a January webinar on the status of broadband enhancement efforts in the state.
She said map data gathered by the Federal Communications Commission indicate up to 87% of the state has some level of fixed or mobile broadband coverage.
“We're hoping for 100%, but keep in mind, we have a fair amount of federal lands and areas like that,” Zempel said.
Zempel said the WBC contracted with LightBox, an experienced national data and mapping firm, to conduct its own broadband mapping program. Gathering information from Wyoming internet service providers was a key part of the program, which was completed Jan. 13. The LightBox map will be released soon.
Zempel said the state didn’t file any challenges to the FCC broadband map released last November, though as it gathers its own information through LightBox, it may challenge the results. Individuals can make challenges, and Zempel encouraged them to do so by visiting broadbandmap.fcc.gov.
Many areas in the state are eligible for broadband funds to enhance coverage to meet updated speed standards set in the Resource Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The federal legislation requires states to prioritize funding to projects involving unserved areas first (i.e., locations lacking access to 25/3 Mbps, low-latency broadband service), then underserved areas (i.e., locations lacking access to 100/20 Mbps, low-latency broadband service) and then community anchor institutions (i.e., schools, hospitals and public safety entities). States are also directed to prioritize funding to high-poverty areas and projects that provide higher-speed broadband services.
Funding for the broadband program is the result of federal appropriations to states made through the Capital Projects Fund, Section 604 of the American Rescue Plan Act, the IIJA’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program and the Digital Equity Act.
So far, the funding breakdown is: ARPA match, $15 million; state/other match, $10 million; ARPA 604, $75 million; and IIJA, $100 million, for a total of $200 million. That total could increase, depending on access to additional federal broadband funding sources.
Wyoming will develop a bidding process, as required under federal regulations, for state ISPs on broadband projects as they are identified. While the public map developed by LightBox will allow people to look up their addresses and the available broadband services, there will also be access just for providers, Zempel said.
“Providers will sign up to get credentials, and the map will help those who are looking to put in applications so they can see where their project eligibility would lie,” Zempel said. “We have 27 providers in the state of Wyoming that are eligible.”
She said since CPF funding is available to local governments or on an individual basis, if a local government is interested in this kind of funding for broadband, “we will credential them individually.”
“There will be a matching mapping challenge when those maps are released where individuals and providers can go in and challenge the location and availability prior to the application period, after LightBox mapping is complete,” Zempel said. “There's an application challenge period also that will occur after we have the applications. So, those providers who believe that they are providing at the speeds necessary, which is 100 download 20 upload, can challenge any applications that are out there.”
Zempel said application information and program guidelines for the federally funded broadband projects will be published on the Wyoming Business Council website under “Connect Wyoming 2.0.”
The state’s grant plan and program plans to meet federal CPF requirements were approved in late January, she said. Affordability of broadband is an important consideration in developing the criteria that will be considered in awarding contracts.
“We have been behind the scenes working on the guidelines for this, the contract templates and the scoring matrix,” Zempel said.
Zempel said David Johnson, who retired as state operations manager after 38 years at CenturyLink, has been hired as a consultant and technical adviser for the broadband office. A bid and digital equity consultant will also join the office soon.
