CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — The Mountain State should soon be gaining better access to broadband internet and cell service soon thanks to newly announced funds.

Recently, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) announced $1,210,800,969.85 in federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

This funding was based on the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband coverage maps that Senator Manchin has been challenging since 2016. The BEAD program, and the funding for it, was made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Additionally, Senator Capito has worked hard to not only advocate for the creation of this program in the IIJA, but to ensure that the mapping data is correct.

This is a historic announcement for the Mountain State and will benefit every West Virginian. As the only Member of Congress to formally challenge the FCC coverage maps and prove them wrong, I know firsthand how much work went into this announcement, and I want to thank the thousands of West Virginians that submitted their own speed tests. Today, not only are we announcing more than $1.2 billion to finally ensure every home in West Virginia is connected to reliable broadband. The maps now show what we knew all along – that West Virginia is one of the least-served states in the country. As a direct result of my efforts to correct the FCC maps and ensure the funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is distributed according to these maps, West Virginia will finally receive our fair share of resources to build out the reliable service we need. I will continue doing everything possible to ensure West Virginia has the means to compete in a 21st-century economy.

SENATOR MANCHIN

Connecting West Virginia has been a top priority of mine since Day One in the U.S. Senate, and today’s announcement has the ability to lead us to a major breakthrough in that effort. I have consistently worked with those involved in this process at both the state and federal levels to ensure our maps are as accurate as possible and West Virginia receives its fair share of funding. This funding, which is the largest amount of broadband funding awarded to the state to date, will assist in our efforts to provide communities with the resources they need to improve connectivity overall. We are on the cusp of a major breakthrough – one that I am committed to seeing though.

SENATOR CAPITO