HELENA – A state advisory commission has started planning for how to distribute the next round of federal broadband funding across Montana. In June, the federal government announced it had allocated nearly $629 million to improve access to affordable high-speed internet service in Montana, specifically in underserved communities. The money comes from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment, or BEAD, program and is part of President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in 2021. The commission will meet in August and September to make recommendations.
-0-