Funneled funds to be used to expand internet coverage [Video]

Funding has been awarded to increase access to reliable, high-speed internet. Out of $14.7 million, $5,777,538 is headed to Perry County for broadband infrastructure projects by Zito and Brightspeed. The projects are specifically aimed at providing broadband connections to areas which are either unserved or underserved.

“Perry County is among the 11 counties statewide where more than 50 percent of tested broadband connections were measured as ‘unserved,’ having internet speeds below 25/3 Mbps,” said state Rep. Perry Stambaugh. “Better access to high-speed internet service will begin to bridge the rural-urban digital divide and bring world-class telecommunication services to our businesses, schools and families.”

The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority was formed Dec. 22, 2021, and had $200 million to distribute across the state for broadband projects. Perry County submitted applications through three vendors — Brightspeed, Zito and Comcast. Of the three applications, only Comcast was unsuccessful. According to Perry County Commissioner …