New York is making major moves to close the digital divide with $15.5 million in new funding for mobile service upgrades and broadband infrastructure projects across rural and underserved communities.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the latest round of awards on September 29 as part of the state’s ConnectALL initiative—a multi-billion dollar effort aimed at expanding access to affordable, high-speed internet for all New Yorkers.
The new awards include $5.2 million for four mobile service projects in Nassau, Otsego, Schenectady, and Warren counties, and over $10 million in broadband grants for Allegany and Broome counties that will bring service to more than 800 households.
“Reliable mobile service is vital to New York’s economy and critical to driving innovation, jobs and opportunity statewide,” said Governor Hochul. “These new awards and innovative RFAs will ensure every New Yorker—no matter where they live—has access to the connectivity they need to learn, work and thrive.”
Among the awarded projects:
- Otsego County will pilot a neutral-host mobile tower for expanded rural coverage.
- Warren County will install 139 community-owned broadband nodes in Lake George and Glens Falls.
- Schenectady County will roll out citywide public Wi-Fi for over 4,000 low- and moderate-income residents.
- Nassau County will improve mobile access for students at the Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf.
The state also announced fiber broadband expansions in Allegany and Broome counties. In Allegany, an 85-mile fiber optic backbone will serve over 300 homes and institutions. In Binghamton, a separate project will provide affordable broadband to hundreds of households in public housing.
New funding opportunities also open
ConnectALL is also launching three new Requests for Applications (RFAs), including funding for:
- Innovative fiber deployment solutions
- Community-led broadband business models
- Regional and local broadband planning and implementation
These programs are aimed at accelerating deployment, especially in hard-to-reach and low-income areas, while encouraging long-term sustainability and equity in internet access.
A long-term commitment to digital equity
The ConnectALL initiative represents more than $1 billion in total investment and has funded multiple programs including municipal infrastructure, digital equity training, and statewide drive testing of mobile signal coverage. Drive tests are already underway in the North Country and are expected to cover 20,000 miles across 17 counties by the end of the year.
ConnectALL is also building the Excelsior Broadband Network, a statewide public fiber line that will run the full length of the New York State Thruway.
With this latest round of funding and planning tools, New York aims to ensure universal, affordable broadband and mobile connectivity for homes, businesses, schools, and emergency services—urban and rural alike.
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