{"id":2315370,"date":"2024-07-29T10:39:57","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T14:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-reaches-another-milestone-in-accessing-federal-broadband-funding-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-07-29T10:46:30","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T14:46:30","slug":"virginia-reaches-another-milestone-in-accessing-federal-broadband-funding-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-reaches-another-milestone-in-accessing-federal-broadband-funding-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia reaches another milestone in accessing federal broadband funding &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fvirginia-reaches-another-milestone-in-accessing-federal-broadband-funding-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2315370&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Virginia is \u200d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nikki-haley-on-path-to-edge-out-desantis-after-tie-in-iowa-2024-poll\/\" title=\"Nikki Haley gains momentum over DeSantis after Iowa poll tie.\">making significant \u2063progress<\/a> in accessing $1.4 billion in\u200c federal funding for broadband expansion, aimed at achieving near-universal internet access across the state. Recently, the Virginia Initial Proposal Volume 2, \u200dwhich details the state&#8217;s strategies to enhance broadband connectivity, was approved by the federal government. This plan outlines ambitious\u200d goals, including providing functional broadband access to all unserved and underserved areas \u2063by the end\u200b of 2024, \u200cwith \u2064full\u2063 project completion expected by 2028.<\/p>\n<p>Governor Glenn Youngkin emphasized that improving broadband infrastructure\u200d is crucial \u200dfor Virginia&#8217;s economic growth, \u200dhighlighting \u200bthe state&#8217;s ranking as\u2063 the top place to do business in the U.S. in 2024. The state&#8217;s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) plan has identified over 162,000 locations lacking \u2064adequate internet service, including more than 134,000 areas without any \u200bbroadband access. The updated federal standards for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-revives-obama-broadband-boondoggle\/\" title=\"Biden Revives Obama Broadband Boondoggle\">high-speed internet<\/a> will guide these initiatives, \u200daiming to ensure all Virginians have the opportunity to \u2062thrive.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Virginia reaches another milestone in accessing federal broadband funding<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1714813\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &mdash; A little over a year after it was announced that Virginia would receive $1.4 billion in federal funding for broadband deployment across the state, the commonwealth is one step closer to accessing those funds.<\/p>\n<p>The Virginia Initial Proposal Volume 2, a 57-page document answering questions about how the state will achieve near-universal internet access &ndash; the goal of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, the program supplying the funding &ndash; has been approved by the federal government.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal includes goals like &ldquo;functionally universal broadband access&hellip; to all unserved and underserved locations in the Commonwealth that lack a funded solution for broadband access&rdquo; by the end of 2024 and completion of all BEAD projects by 2028.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Virginia&rsquo;s historic investment in broadband infrastructure is one key ingredient which helped drive our ranking as America&rsquo;s top state to do business in 2024&hellip; Today&rsquo;s announcement is a key step in our efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rural-america-getting-401-million-for-high-speed-internet\/\" title=\"Rural America Getting 1 Million for High-Speed Internet\">provide high-speed internet access<\/a> to the remaining unserved regions of the Commonwealth ensuring all Virginians have the opportunity to prosper,&rdquo; said Gov. Glenn Youngkin.<\/p>\n<p>In the state&rsquo;s BEAD five-year plan, data from internet service providers showed 162,107 locations in Virginia don&rsquo;t meet the goals of the program &ndash; more than 134,000 &ldquo;unserved&rdquo; locations without broadband access, and nearly 28,000 &ldquo;underserved&rdquo; places with slower than 100 Mbps download speed, 20 Mbps upload speed. Since 2015, the Federal Communications Commission&rsquo;s minimum standard for &ldquo;high speed&rdquo; internet was 25 Mbps download speed with a three Mbps &ldquo;high speed&rdquo; internet, but it updated that in March, quadrupling it to 100\/20 based on &ldquo;consumer usage patterns&rdquo; and &ldquo;standards used in multiple federal and state programs.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development celebrated Friday&rsquo;s approval of the proposal, but clarified that &ldquo;this does not indicate the start of the BEAD application process in the Commonwealth.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;DHCD continues to work with NTIA (the National Telecommunications and Information Administration) staff to certify the results of the BEAD challenge process and set the locations eligible for the BEAD program,&rdquo; the department said in an email blast. &ldquo;DHCD will issue a separate announcement once challenge process results are certified by NTIA, including when the application process will begin.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Since 2017 and the creation of the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative, Virginia has been working diligently to expand broadband access in the state, using almost $2 billion in state and local funds to extend broadband infrastructure to over 388,000 locations.<\/p>\n<p>Virginia was &ldquo;the first state in the nation to submit all required BEAD plans to access funding,&rdquo; according to the state DHCD, when it submitted its Volume 2 proposal in September.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1714813\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1714813\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Virginia has achieved another significant milestone in securing federal broadband funding (The Center Square) \u2014 Just over a year after it was revealed that Virginia would receive $1.4 billion in federal funds for statewide broadband expansion, the state is now closer to utilizing those resources. The Virginia Initial Proposal Volume 2, a comprehensive 57-page document detailing how the state plans to attain near-universal internet access\u2014an objective of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program that provides this funding\u2014has received approval from the federal government. The proposal outlines targets such as achieving &#8220;functionally universal broadband access&#8221; to all unserved and underserved areas in Virginia lacking a funded solution by the end of 2024, with all BEAD projects expected to be completed by 2028. Governor Glenn Youngkin stated, &#8220;Virginia\u2019s historic investment in broadband infrastructure is a crucial factor contributing to our ranking as America\u2019s top state for business in 2024&#8230; Today\u2019s announcement marks an important step toward providing high-speed internet access to remaining unserved regions of the Commonwealth, ensuring every Virginian has opportunities for success.&#8221; According to data from internet service providers included in Virginia&#8217;s five-year BEAD plan, there are currently 162,107 locations within the state that do not meet program goals\u2014over 134,000 are classified as &#8220;unserved&#8221; without any broadband access and nearly 28,000 are considered &#8220;underserved,&#8221; having download speeds slower than 100 Mbps and upload speeds below 20 Mbps. Since its establishment in March by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which raised its minimum standard for \u201chigh speed\u201d internet from a download speed of 25 Mbps and upload speed of three Mbps to new benchmarks of 100\/20 based on consumer usage trends and standards used across various federal and state programs. While celebrating Friday&#8217;s approval of their proposal, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development clarified that this does not mark the beginning of the BEAD application process within the Commonwealth. They noted ongoing collaboration with NTIA (the National Telecommunications and Information Administration) staff to validate results from the BEAD challenge process before determining eligible locations for funding under this program. A separate announcement will follow once these results have been certified by NTIA regarding when applications can commence. Since launching its Virginia Telecommunication Initiative in 2017, efforts have been underway to enhance broadband accessibility throughout Virginia using nearly $2 billion sourced from both state and local funds; these initiatives have successfully extended infrastructure services to over 388,000 locations across the state. According to DHCD officials, Virginia was \u201cthe first state nationwide\u201d to submit all necessary plans required under BEAD funding guidelines when it submitted Volume Two back in September<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315372,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/iStock-157308559-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[36512,36513,3902,5468,32076],"class_list":["post-2315370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-broadband-funding","tag-federal-funding","tag-infrastructure","tag-virginia","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/iStock-157308559-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2315370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2315370"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2315370\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2315370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2315370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2315370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}