Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new milestone in New York’s push to deliver high-speed internet to every household and business across the state, launching the final phase of the ConnectALL Deployment Program with a focus on the last 0.3% of locations still lacking reliable broadband access.
Applications are now open for internet providers to propose solutions that reach the state’s most remote or technically challenging areas using fiber, cable, fixed wireless, or satellite technologies. The Request for Applications (RFA) opened April 15 and will close May 5, 2025.
“Broadband is no longer a luxury — it’s essential infrastructure,” Hochul said. “We are ensuring that every single New Yorker, regardless of their zip code or economic circumstances, will have access to high-speed internet.”
The RFA targets approximately 20,000 homes and businesses that remain unserved after prior broadband funding rounds. These areas lack both access to reliable wired broadband and any near-term plans for future connectivity. The new funding represents the final push in a two-year process involving detailed service mapping and coordination with federal, state, and local governments.
Backed by $644 million in federal grants, the Deployment Program aims to close all remaining coverage gaps. Approved projects are expected to begin construction later in 2025 and will have four years to complete.
Empire State Development President Hope Knight called the RFA “the culmination of years of strategic planning” to close the digital divide in New York. “By embracing a range of technology solutions, including alternative options for our hardest-to-reach areas, we are demonstrating our commitment to leaving no community behind,” she said.
The Deployment Program is one of several efforts under the broader ConnectALL initiative, which represents a $1 billion statewide investment in digital infrastructure. Other major components include:
- The Digital Equity Program, with $50 million to help close digital literacy gaps.
- The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program, offering up to $100 million to deliver low-cost internet to public and affordable housing units.
- The Municipal Infrastructure Program, which has funded nearly 2,400 miles of broadband projects reaching 98,000 locations statewide.
- The Connectivity Innovation Program, which funds research and private sector investment in new broadband technologies and business models.
State Senator Kristen Gonzalez praised the initiative, calling it “a strong commitment to ensuring every New Yorker, in every part of our state, can access affordable, high-speed internet.” Assemblymember Steve Otis added that the program “invites innovative and alternative approaches to provide access to hard-to-reach locations and underserved communities.”
Pending federal approval, New York expects to announce awards by July 25.
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