18 projects in tribal communities, counties and cities across the state mark first step in creating open-access middle-mile network to provide missing broadband infrastructure
Part of state’s $6 billion investment to expand broadband infrastructure and enhance internet access for unserved and underserved communities
SACRAMENTO – Advancing California’s commitment to bridge the digital divide, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that the state has identified 18 projects to begin work on an open-access middle-mile network that will provide missing infrastructure paths to bring broadband to all our communities.
As part of the historic $6 billion broadband investment advanced in partnership with legislative leaders earlier this year, the initial project locations are based on known unserved and underserved areas across the state. The projects will connect to the core of the global internet and interconnect to last-mile infrastructure, which is the final leg that provides internet service to a customer.
“California is committed to taking on the challenges laid bare by the pandemic, including the digital divide holding back too many communities across the state,” said Governor Newsom. “These projects are the first step to delivering on our historic investment that will ensure all Californians have access to high-quality broadband internet, while also creating new jobs to support our nation-leading economic recovery.”
The initial 18 projects represent a range of geographic locations and technical approaches. Projects are being initiated in the following tribal communities, counties and cities: Alpine County; Amador County; Calaveras County; Central Coast; Coachella Valley; Colusa Area; Inyo County; Kern County; Kern/San Luis Obispo Area; Lake County Area; Los Angeles and South Los Angeles; Oakland; Orange County; Plumas Area; Riverside/San Diego Area; San Bernardino County; Siskiyou Area; and West Fresno.
A map and additional information on the initial projects can be found here.
“A reliable broadband connection makes the difference between having access to full-service health care, education and employment or sometimes going without,” said State Chief Information Officer Amy Tong. “Through a historic partnership between our Governor, the Legislature, state agencies and a third-party administrator, we are taking immediate action to improve connectivity for Californians in the northern, central and southern parts of the state.”
Evaluation of project areas included consideration of public comments, prioritization of unserved or underserved areas of the state, and inclusion of tribal communities, cities and counties. An unserved or underserved area has households that do not reliably have download speeds of at least 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) and upload of at least 3 Mbps.
State partners implementing the middle-mile initiative include the California Department of Technology, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and Caltrans. GoldenStateNet was selected as the Third-Party Administrator (TPA) to manage the development, acquisition, construction, maintenance and operation of the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network. As the TPA, GoldenStateNet will partner with key stakeholder groups across the state to investigate the best technical, financial and operational models to meet the needs of the project sites.
“Each entity brings a unique perspective and set of skills to the initiative, and we are beginning these initial projects within only three months of the first Middle Mile Advisory Committee Meeting. This is an extraordinary commitment to deliver service throughout the state,” said Gayle Miller, Chief Deputy Director of the Department of Finance and member of the Middle-Mile Advisory Committee.
“These initial routes have been identified to accelerate projects in areas of the state that are unserved because of the lack of open middle mile infrastructure to serve them. We are accelerating the selection of a diverse set of routes — those that are ready to build and those that are not ready to build. This allows the state to partner with locals on these diverse projects and learn by doing, as we concurrently work to finalize all the needed routes in the State. There are many more communities like those in Phase I that will be included in the final map,” said Martha Guzman Aceves, Commissioner at the CPUC.
“Equity remains our highest purpose in expanding the open-access middle-mile network. These initial sites are only the beginning, and I look forward to the tangible improvements this work will deliver to residents of our state,” said Toks Omishakin, Director of Caltrans.
“Core to our success will be the deep partnerships we’ve built with a diverse set of community organizations and last mile providers. Through many years of engagement with metropolitan planning organizations, CPUC-supported broadband consortia, Tribal organizations, community-based broadband advocacy groups, and organizations like the Rural County Representatives of California, the NAACP, and the California Emerging Technology Fund, we are now ready to take this historic step towards broadband equity for California,” said Louis Fox, Founder and Chair of GoldenStateNet, the state’s third-party administrator.
Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative Initial Projects
- Siskiyou Area: Siskiyou County, State Route 3 communities from Yreka to Callahan
- Plumas Area: Tehama, Lassen and Plumas counties from Red Bluff to Johnstonville along Hwy 36 and 89
- Lake County Area: Lake and Mendocino counties, including Laughlin, Upper Lake, Robinson Rancheria, and Kelseyville
- Colusa Area: Colusa County including Colusa, Williams and Arbuckle
- Alpine County: Alpine County, Hwy 88 communities from Kirkwood to Mesa Vista
- Amador County: Hwy 88 communities from Jackson Valley to Sutter Hill and Jackson
- Calaveras County: Hwy 4 including Copperopolis and La Honda Park
- Oakland: Oakland Flats Neighborhoods
- Central Coast: Southern Santa Clara Valley to Hollister and Santa Cruz to Los Gatos
- West Fresno: Fresno County, including South Dos Palos, Kerman, Mendota, Firebaugh, Tranquility and San Joaquin
- Inyo County: Hwy 190 including Death Valley Junction and Greenwater
- Kern County: Kern Canyon and Hwy 178 from Bakersfield to Lake Isabella and Weldon
- Kern/San Luis Obispo Area: Kern, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, Taft to New Cuyama along Hwy 166 and 33
- San Bernardino County: Hwy 247, High Desert, Barstow to Thorn
- Los Angeles and South Los Angeles: South Los Angeles communities including South Gate, Lynwood,Paramount, Bell Flower, Compton and Lakewood
- Orange County: Inland Orange County communities including Buena Park, Orange, Fullerton, Garden Grove and Westminster
- Coachella Valley: Riverside County, Palm Springs to Indio and Coachella
- Riverside/San Diego Area: San Diego and Riverside counties including the Cahuilla Reservation, Julian and Santee