The state of Oklahoma has tentatively announced $374 million in broadband funding awards to AT&T, Cox and 29 smaller providers. Funding came through the federal ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund.
Awardees will contribute an additional $90 million to project costs. More than 55,000 locations are expected to get high-speed service.
As with many other state broadband funding programs, competition was intense. Applicants requested a total of more than $5.1 billion in funding. Awards were made through the Oklahoma Broadband Office.
Approximately 80% of the awards are for fiber broadband and 20% are for fixed wireless.
Cox is slated to take home $84.7 million for 14 awards. AT&T is slated to take home $22.5 million for 10 awards.
Other companies winning large amounts of funding include Pine Telephone Company, which is slated to take home $22.5 million for a single award, and Chisholm Broadband, which is slated to receive $21.8 million for 10 awards.
Winners included a mixture of fixed wireless providers, local telecom companies, rural electric companies and other types of companies.
Among the winners were Resound Networks; Nextlink; ECO Services, a subsidiary of East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative; Dobson Fiber; and KanOkla Telephone Association.
In a prepared statement, Mike Sanders, OBO executive director, called the awards “a giant step forward to improving quality of life and fostering digital growth throughout Oklahoma, but especially in rural areas.
“Access to reliable and affordable broadband will enable better educational and healthcare services, stimulate economic development, and empower Oklahomans to leverage the online technologies of the future, regardless of zip code.”
A complete list of awardees, including amount awarded and areas to be served, can be found at this link.
Updated to include the complete list of tentative awardees
