BOONE COUNTY, Ind. (July 19, 2022) — Work is moving forward on broadband upgrades across Boone County. The project is part of Indiana’s Next Level Connections (NLC) Grant Program announced in April and includes just under $2 million for upgrades to broadband infrastructure. The grants were awarded to Charter Communications.
“Our next step is to focus on the Indiana Connectivity Program (ICP) to connect unserved and underserved residents and businesses in Boone County,” Boone County Commissioner Tom Santelli said. “More than 11 internet service providers have the opportunity to review these locations and submit bids to the state on the cost of providing service to these registered areas.”
The ICP program is supported through the Boone County Commissioners $2 million commitment of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that leverage partnerships with broadband providers, Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) and Boone County. These funds will ensure rapid deployment of broadband connectivity within Boone County.
“A key component of deploying this broadband infrastructure is simply by having potential users register their addresses,” Santelli said.
When an address is submitted, it typically takes a 6 month process from start to finish. Providers have 60 days to respond and submit bids on locations they would like to extend service to. OCRA then evaluates all bids within 30 days and selects the providers whose bids present the lowest cost per Mbps to the state.
Submissions can be made by visiting https://indianaegms.force.com/nlc/s/login/SelfRegister?locale=us or by phone at 833-639-8522.
The Indiana Connections Program is currently ongoing and there are no cut off dates for each round. In addition to the NLC Round III installations, the ICP efforts, and the advanced broadband technology within the Lilly LEAP and the IDD (Innovative Development Districts) will complement the anticipated launch of the NLC Round IV.
Indiana will invest $270 million toward improving broadband access and adoption across the state. Read more about the program here: https://www.in.gov/ocra/nlc/