Hawaiʻi gets $150M toward internet service expansion

The State of Hawaiʻi has formally secured its $149.5 million in Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding to  broadband access to all residents. Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke celebrated the milestone at the Pacific Telecommunications Council conference held in Waikiki last week. She also noted ongoing investment in major trans-Pacific broadband assets serving Hawaiʻi by telecom partner entities including Hawaiian Tel, Ocean Networks, and Google. 

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration recently awarded grants to 18 states for its federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.

The money will help connect roughly 7,100 locations identified across the islands that currently have no access, or substandard access to high-speed internet service.

Read the full story on Hawaii Public Radio's website.