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Small northern towns get state broadband aid

Jay, Wilmington, Keene and Black Brook are among the small North Country towns that will receive faster internet thanks to major injections of state funds.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that 14 North Country projects will receive New NY Broadband Program Round II grants totaling $31.5 million. Private entities are set to invest another $8.4 million.

“These awards will provide 12,349 homes and businesses with access to high-speed broadband for the first time,” the governor’s press release said. “Through Rounds I and II, the program has driven a total of more than $48.6 million in public-private investment in high-speed broadband across the region.”

Jay was awarded the most money of any town: $1,880,212 from the state and $2,349,174 including private investment. Also in the greater Tri-Lakes area, Wilmington was awarded $1,106,667 ($1,382,691 total), Keene got $771,994 ($964,620 total), and Black Brook got $709,484 ($886,443 total).

Other towns receiving over $1 million from the state were Westport in Essex County, Russell and Stockholm in St. Lawrence County, Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, and Morehouse, Indian Lake and Arietta in Hamilton County.

The aid affects 30 towns in all, five in each of six counties: Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence.

Ten telecom companies received state funds, with Frontier Communications getting the most at $7.3 million for two projects, followed by TDS Telecom with $6.8 million for two projects and Mohawk Networks LLC with $6 million for one project.

At the same time, the state Public Service Commission has mandated Charter to build out its broadband offerings upstate, a condition of allowing the cable company to buy Time Warner. Between this and Round II, the governor’s release says “98 percent of New Yorkers will have access to the high-speed broadband required to succeed in a modern economy.”

“Broadband is today what electricity was nearly a century ago — essential to creating economic opportunity, driving innovation and an absolute necessity for our way of life,” Cuomo said in the release.

Round III is coming as well; the state Broadband Program Office plans to start accepting bids within 30 days. Round III will be complemented by $170 million in Connect America Funds the Federal Communications Commission recently allocated to New York.

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