Governor Hochul Announces $15.5 Million in Mobile Service and Broadband Infrastructure Awards, Opens New RFAS for Innovative Broadband Solutions and Technical Assistance

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $5.2 million in new awards for four Connectivity Innovations to expand mobile service in Nassau, Otsego, Schenectady and Warren counties. The Governor also announced over $10 million in awards under the ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Program and Affordable Housing Connectivity Program. ConnectALL is also launching three new funding opportunities. Together with the state's first-ever statewide mobile service coverage tests - now underway to map coverage gaps along thousands of miles of roads and corridors - these actions advance New York's commitment to ensuring universal, reliable mobile and broadband access.

"Reliable mobile service is vital to New York's economy and critical to driving innovation, jobs and opportunity statewide," Governor Hochul said. "These new awards and innovative RFAs, combined with our groundbreaking wireless drive testing, will ensure every New Yorker - no matter where they live - has access to the connectivity they need to learn, work and thrive."

Senator Charles Schumer said, "Access to high-speed internet is not a luxury, but a necessity, a utility as vital as electricity for everyday life. I'm proud to deliver millions in federal funding to help close the digital divide for hundreds of families from Allegany County to Lake George. When I led the American Rescue Plan to passage, I made sure there was funding for long-term investments like this that would create good-paying jobs helping build the 21st-century infrastructure needed to make high-speed internet reach every corner of the state. I'm grateful for Governor Hochul's work putting these federal dollars to work to ensure all New Yorkers have access to the internet that they need."

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, "From helping students learn to connecting small businesses with the digital economy, mobile service and broadband is a fundamental necessity and a driver of growth. These new awards will help ensure every community across our state has the reliable connectivity they deserve - and in Washington, I will keep fighting to deliver the funding necessary to expand broadband to every New Yorker."

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "From rural Otsego County to downtown Schenectady, ConnectALL is advancing creative, community-driven projects that address both immediate connectivity gaps and long-term infrastructure needs. These investments reflect our commitment to ensuring mobile service and broadband access for all New Yorkers, while building the innovative models that will drive equity and competitiveness across New York tomorrow."

In response to Governor Hochul's 2025 State of the State directive, ConnectALL launched a statewide data collection and regional planning process to improve mobile signal coverage. ConnectALL has begun this effort in the North Country, in partnership with the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board, and is conducting tests of mobile signal coverage along major travel corridors and throughout the Adirondack and Catskill Regions.

ConnectALL expects to complete approximately 20,000 miles of mobile service signal testing across 17 counties by the end of 2025. ConnectALL will continue these drive tests across New York State through 2026 and beyond to inform regional connectivity plans that prioritize underserved areas, integrate emerging technologies, and identify new infrastructure opportunities.

ConnectALL is awarding $5.2 million to four projects under its Connectivity Innovation Program that will expand mobile service, close rural and urban coverage gaps, and create replicable models for future deployments:

• Butternuts Neutral Host Mobile Tower Pilot Project (Otsego County) - $843,357: Deploys neutral-host equipment on a county owned tower to extend multi-operator service in a rural area with little to no coverage.
• Lake George and Glens Falls Open Access Mobile Expansion (Warren County) - $1,996,408: Installs decentralized mobile broadband access via 139 community-owned nodes to improve connectivity during peak tourism seasons.
• City of Schenectady Mobile Service Project (Schenectady County) - $1,627,430: Establishes city-wide open access Wi-Fi to reduce network strain, boost digital inclusion, and support over 4,000 low- and moderate-income residents.
• Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf Connectivity Project (Nassau County) - $731,192: Builds a multi-technology distributed antenna system to enhance accessibility and expand mobile coverage for students on campus.

Governor Hochul also announced two new broadband infrastructure awards through the ConnectALL Affordable Housing Connectivity Program and the Municipal Infrastructure Program. Funded by the US Department of Treasury, these awards will provide new high-speed, reliable, affordable internet service options to 371 locations in Allegany County and 439 households in affordable housing in Binghamton, and build 85 miles of new fiber infrastructure.

Affordable Housing Connectivity Program:

• Greater Binghamton (Broome County) - $320,379 Fiberspark will deploy fiber and ethernet-based network service to affordable housing properties in Greater Binghamton, offering low-cost high-speed internet service plans for 10 years.

Municipal Infrastructure Program:

• Allegany County (Southern Tier) - $10,034,234 Community Broadband Networks will deploy an 85-mile fiber optic backbone that prioritizes aerial deployment utilizing existing utility infrastructure to serve over 300 unserved homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions in this public-private partnership. The county will serve on a Governance Committee to oversee the CBN-owned infrastructure.

ConnectALL also launched three new RFAs; two under the Connectivity Innovation Program, and one under the Regional and Local Assistance Program. Applications are now open through the CFA portal, with information sessions to be announced through https://http://broadband.ny.gov.

• Fiber Optic Deployment Solutions RFA - $5m to seek innovative methods to overcome cost and logistical barriers of traditional fiber installation, with solutions that are scalable, resilient, and able to accelerate timelines while minimizing disruption.
• Business Model RFA - $5m to support the creation or expansion of innovative revenue models that prioritize ownership and connectivity in low-income and rural communities. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, community organizations, small businesses, co-ops and academic institutions.
• Regional and Local Assistance Program Round 2 RFA - Up to $5m to assist local and regional governments, counties, municipalities, Tribal Governments, and other government entities to plan and implement broadband, digital equity, and wireless planning projects. Examples of eligible activities include feasibility studies, coordination of digital equity activities or mobile service coverage testing.

State Senator Lea Webb said, "I'm proud to see Broome County receive this critical investment through the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program. Reliable, high-speed internet is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity for education, employment, and access to essential services. This funding will help ensure that families in Greater Binghamton's affordable housing communities aren't left behind in the digital age."

State Senator Kristin Gonzalez said, "I want to thank the Governor for her leadership and dedication to closing the digital divide all across our state. Access to reliable internet and mobile services is necessary for education, work, and civic participation. I am especially proud and encouraged by our state's investment in infrastructure and community-driven models that center equity, affordability, and long-term public benefit."

Assemblymember Charles Lavine said, "I experienced first-hand during a site visit the kinds of communications challenges students and staff at Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf are dealing with, and I am grateful to Governor Hochul for this investment, which will greatly benefit one of the most beloved educational institutions on Long Island. I applaud the ConnectALL initiative, which is building the state's digital infrastructure, enabling all residents and businesses access to high-speed, reliable, and affordable internet for education, economic growth and full participation in civic life."

Assemblymember Steve Otis said, "These announcements highlight New York's continued leadership in supporting individualized solutions for providing broadband access to hard-to-reach locations, affordable housing units, and disadvantaged communities. Only by implementing innovative projects will we be able to close the broadband gaps that exist. These carefully crafted programs have been the hallmark of the connectivity success spearheaded by Governor Kathy Hochul, ESD President and Commissioner Hope Knight and ConnectALL Chair Josh Breitbart. The State Legislature and our Assembly Science and Technology Committee have been very supportive of these programs."

Expanding New York's Digital Infrastructure

Governor Hochul has made expanding broadband access a cornerstone of her administration's efforts to create a more equitable New York. Through the ConnectALL initiative, New York State is investing more than $1 billion to transform the state's digital infrastructure, enhance competition among providers, and ensure that every New Yorker has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. To date, ConnectALL has overseen the successful launch and implementation of several programs to advance broadband access, including:

• The Municipal Infrastructure Program has awarded more than $285 million to support construction of open access municipal broadband networks across the state. The program, primarily funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the American Rescue Plan's Capital Projects fund, facilitates a variety of models of municipal broadband and public-private partnerships to provide New Yorkers with affordable, high-quality service options. The Beta ConnectALL Projects Dashboard provides details on projects funded by the Municipal Infrastructure Program.
• The Digital Equity Program will invest $50 million to implement the New York State Digital Equity Plan to close the digital divide. The Plan outlines New York's statewide strategy to increase its capacity to improve digital literacy and digital job readiness skills, facilitate access to affordable internet and devices, enhance digital privacy and safety and make government services more accessible through the internet.
• The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program will bring new broadband infrastructure to homes in affordable and public housing leveraging a $100 million federal investment from the U.S. Treasury Department's Capital Projects Fund. The Beta ConnectALL Projects Dashboard provides details on projects funded by the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program.
• The ConnectALL Deployment Program will provide funding for internet service providers to reach unserved and underserved locations, drawing on an allocation of $664.6 million in federal funding as described in the ConnectALL Broadband Deployment Initial Proposal. ConnectALL announced the provisional results of the Program in September with nearly $400 million in grants to address effectively 100 percent of remaining unserved locations. The Department of Commerce is currently reviewing ConnectALL's proposed grants with the federal funds.
• The Connectivity Innovation Program advances new broadband solutions, business models, and technologies in order to increase private sector investment and entrepreneurship; drive equity and innovation in the broadband marketplace; and reinforce a thriving research, development and manufacturing ecosystem New York. ConnectALL is accepting applications under the Connectivity Innovations Business Model and Fiber Optic Deployment RFAs which opened in September 2025.
• The Excelsior Broadband Network is a new statewide public broadband network. The first component of this project will be a new fiber line running the full length of the New York Thruway which will connect public broadband assets across the state and improve access to consistent high-speed internet and reliable cell phone service for communities across the state.
• The Mobile Service Connectivity initiative will work with local stakeholders, state agencies, and industry to develop regional plans to expand cellular coverage across the state. The program will identify top opportunities to expand coverage and provide funding to deploy innovative, scalable solutions that can address gaps in wireless cellular coverage.

Contact the Governor's Press Office