More rural residents in Pittsburgh's greater metropolitan area will soon have access to broadband internet service from Verizon Communications Inc. as part of a $9 million expansion effort from the company.
Nearly 1,100 households and businesses located in portions of Washington and Westmoreland counties are set to get access to Verizon's (NYSE: VZ) fiber-optic Fios internet service, which is the result of one of the company's largest upgrades in its history. Over 130 miles—about the length of the drive between Pittsburgh and State College—of fiber cable will be deployed as part of this rollout, Verizon said.
"Verizon is focused on delivering high-speed internet service and the major economic benefits that it can provide, especially in unserved and underserved areas," Doug Sullivan, vice president of wireline network operations for Verizon's mid-Atlantic north region, said in a statement. "Our commitment to Pennsylvania continues as we offer residents access to our 100% fiber Fios internet service to fuel how they work, live and play."
Verizon said it is working in partnership with these counties and others as well as the Federal Communications Commission to offer broadband internet service to rural parts of Pennsylvania. The company will use $4.1 million in funding allocated by the American Rescue Plan Act as part of this local expansion effort.
Broadband expansion efforts from internet service providers are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
Last June, Pennsylvania received $1.16 billion in federal funding for broadband internet infrastructure build-out across the commonwealth. It brings Pennsylvania's total to more than $1.7 billion in federal funding for such plans, which are part of President Joe Biden's "Internet for All" initiative that's backed by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Biden signed into law in November 2021.
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority was established in February 2022 and is receiving and further administering this funding.
