ALBANY, N.Y. – Governor Kathy Hochul, along with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, announced the allocation of over $140 million in ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grants to improve broadband access in New York. The funding will support the construction of 1,200 miles of public broadband infrastructure across the Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Mid-Hudson, and Western New York regions, aiming to bring high-speed internet to more than 60,000 homes and businesses.
“Today marks a transformative step forward in our mission to connect every New Yorker to affordable, high-speed internet,” Governor Hochul said. “By investing in public broadband infrastructure, we’re building bridges to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and prosperity.”
This announcement marks a milestone in Governor Hochul’s $1 billion ConnectALL initiative, New York’s largest investment in broadband infrastructure to date. These new public-private partnerships are funded primarily by the Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund and will include fiber optic networks and wireless hubs to provide affordable internet services in underserved areas.
Senate Majority Leader Schumer emphasized the necessity of high-speed internet as a basic utility, calling the investment a critical step in closing the digital divide. “This will help communities in every corner of Upstate NY, from the City of Jamestown to rural Schoharie, Orleans, and Sullivan Counties,” he said. Senator Gillibrand added that the funding would enable New Yorkers to access telehealth, remote work, and online education, moving the state closer to bridging the digital gap.
The ConnectALL project has also launched a beta interactive dashboard to allow New Yorkers to track the progress of broadband expansion across regions, enhancing transparency and public engagement.
Recent ConnectALL Grant Recipients:
- Orleans County (Finger Lakes): $11 million to expand wireless internet to 11,000 locations.
- Schoharie County (Mohawk Valley): $30 million for 298 miles of fiber reaching 4,000 unserved locations.
- Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board: $26 million to develop a regional fiber network for Cayuga and Cortland counties.
- Franklin County (North Country): $13.1 million for fiber and wireless connections for 1,567 locations, including community institutions.
- Sullivan County (Mid-Hudson): $29.9 million for 253 miles of fiber optic infrastructure.
- City of Jamestown (Western New York): $29.9 million to build an open-access fiber network serving 14,447 homes and businesses.
Each project emphasizes digital equity, with public ownership models ensuring affordability and community control over the new broadband infrastructure.
Source: Governor Kathy Hochul’s Office