U.S. senators Roger Wicker R-Miss., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., along with Congressman Michael Guest, R-Miss., today praised the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) award of $32.7 million to expand broadband infrastructure in Mississippi. This grant, sought by the state of Mississippi, will fund 10 unique projects in middle-mile and last-mile broadband deployment and serve 12,487 households across 10 counties.

“This announcement is great news for Mississippi,” Wicker said. “This $32.7 million investment will help connect nearly 12,500 households to high-quality internet, which will make a significant difference in their daily lives. I look forward to working with the NTIA, other federal agencies, and those in Mississippi to expand broadband access to every unserved household in our state.”

“Mississippi understands that broadband expansion is critical to closing the gap on the rural digital divide,” said Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee. “I am thankful for the NTIA approving Mississippi’s application for these appropriated funds. I remain ready to continue my support for collaborative projects that will ensure more families receive the necessary benefits of strong broadband service.”

Guest agreed. “Ensuring Mississippians have access to broadband service is a top priority for me,” he said. “I am pleased that the NTIA has awarded these funds to support the build out of critical broadband projects to the benefit of Mississippians across our state.”

The grants, which are being made available as part of The Broadband Infrastructure Program, were funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The program was designed to support broadband infrastructure deployment in unserved areas, especially rural areas. NTIA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, thoroughly and objectively reviewed applications using a three-stage process, and the Commerce Department awarded grants to 12 states and one territory.

For more information on the latest round of NTIA broadband, click here.